Retrieving Raven
by newiceauthoress
Summary: [Hiatus]Raven does not like seeing her teammates so saddened about Terra's predicament, so she finds a cure. But once she brings Terra back, do she's not so certain that she's needed anymore. So she leaves.
1. Reviving Terra

The Titans were gathered in the main living area, but the large television remained silent, the video game controls untouched. The crime fighters sat scattered about the room, listless. They had witnessed Terra sacrifice herself to defeat Slade, and they had searched for a way to free her from her stone prison. But no answer had been found. Endless days of searching and researching had resulted in nothing, and they all felt dejected and devoid of hope as a result.

Or almost all of them. Raven had not participated in their pursuits for a remedy. She had locked herself in her room after telling everyone not to disturb her. How she felt, none of the others could say for certain; they had not seen her since.

"Perhaps," Starfire said, breaking the heavy silence. "We should go and see how friend Raven is doing."

"No, Star, she told us not to bother her," Robin protested not for the first time. He was a bit worried himself, but he still believed they should respect Raven's request.

"Yeah, it didn't work so well for us when we tried that last time," Cyborg said, thinking of his and Beastboy's trip through Raven's mirror.

"What are you talking about?" Robin asked.

"Uh, never mind," Beastboy cut in. "But maybe we should go check on her."

"Yes, may we, please?" Starfire begged.

"I'm not so sure that's such a good idea…" Robin began to relent.

"Let's all go together," Cyborg suggested.

Robin paused in consideration. "All right, let's go."

After the short walk down the hallway, they stood before Raven's bedroom door. Everyone acted hesitantly except Starfire, who stepped forward to knock.

"Friend Raven?" she called, and timidly tapped her knuckles on the door.

Directly following the soft strike, the Tower shook briefly, and soft thumps and shattering could be heard from inside. Black tendrils of raw power began to flow from under the door before suddenly retreating back into Raven's room.

Now thoroughly concerned, the Titans were about to burst into their friend's room when the door cracked open a few inches.

Raven stood before them in clothes wrinkled from several days' wear, pale and with barely-visible dark smudges beneath tired violet eyes. Eyes that also shone with extreme annoyance.

"I thought I told you to _leave me alone_," she ground out.

"Sorry, Raven, we—"

"But Friend Raven—"

"Are you all right—?"

"What—?"

"Do not disturb me again," she cut them off and shut the door.

Raven sighed, utterly angered and exhausted. She would have to start all over.

She had been saddened to see all of her teammates so depressed over the loss of Terra, and had subsequently taken it upon herself to bring Terra back. She knew they would search as well, of course, but she believed she had the best resources in this case. And Terra did deserve to come back, Raven admitted. She had repented more than sufficiently for her betrayal.

Raven had found a possible cure relatively quickly in one of her many ancient books. But in order for the spell to work, she needed to strengthen her powers, and her control over them. She had been doing just that when the knock at her door disturbed her out of her meditation, destroying her hold on her powers—and all that she had accomplished thus far.

After a quick shower and a change of clothes, Raven began again.

Countless days later, mercifully free from any interruption, Raven had finished. She had not harnessed her powers completely, of course, but enough.

Once Raven had cleaned herself up and gathered her supplies, she used her powers to phase through her ceiling to the roof of the Tower. Her dark clothes blended with the moonless sky. She was still tired from her ordeal, but if she did not go tonight, she would have to wait another month, since the ritual required a new moon. Her teammates should not have to remain unhappy any longer if she could help it. So she took flight, heading for the place where Terra still stood.

She landed on the stone pathway and approached the statue. She noticed fresh flowers, undoubtedly left by one or more of the other Titans. Raven gently set them aside and placed the candles and crystals she had brought in their required places, as well as a small bowl, which she filled with water.

Placing the worn volume containing the incantation in front of her, she sat with legs folded, and began to recite the words she had translated earlier.

"I call upon the elemental forces of nature; to break the prison of this one who has been trapped." Her whole body began to shine with her white-outlined black power. Foreboding clouds began to gather overhead. "Fire." The candles flared to life. A sudden heat made her cheeks flush. "Water." The water in the bowl began to ebb like the ocean, and Raven swore she heard the crash of waves and felt spray upon her face. "Air." Raven felt the temperature drop, and she could see her breath as a vapor before it dissipated. A sudden wind threatened to blow out the candles. "Earth." The ground beneath her trembled slightly. The flowers she had moved began to take root and grow. "I ask you, set her free…please." Thunder crashed, and the wind howled in answer. Soft raindrops began to fall. The candles hissed and sputtered.

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they glowed white. She raised her shimmering hands towards Terra, and power shot forth, engulfing the statue and absorbing into the rock. Minute, cracks began to appear in the gray stone. They spread and grew, white-outlined black light shining through. Suddenly, a bolt of lightening streaked down from the sky, striking the statue. The force of the shattering stone threw Raven against the far wall, and she heard the snap of a bone and felt a sharp pain in her shoulder.

Raven blinked to clear the spots from her eyes. Amidst crumbled pebbles stood a shaken Terra.

"Raven?" was all Terra managed before she passed out. Raven tried to catch the girl with her powers, but only managed to slow the fall as her power flickered and died.

Raven made her way to the fallen Terra to assure herself that the blonde had indeed only fainted. She cleaned up what was left of her supplies, silently thanking whatever higher powers had helped her.

Finally, Raven slipped one arm under the girl's knees and the other supported her back, and she lifted the still-unconscious Terra. She had to bite her tongue to keep from crying out at the pain that the strain on her injured shoulder caused. She then began the walk back to the Tower, her powers spent.


	2. Terra Returned

The rain had only increased its relentless fall since Raven had completed her spell. It felt refreshing to her, but chill would soon replace the comforting feeling. She worried for Terra's health as well. Grumbling under her breath, Raven set the girl on a bench, removed her own cloak, and wrapped it around Terra.

"Man, what a storm," Cyborg commented as they listened to the wind, rain, and thunder.

"Yeah, good thing we're all inside, nice and dry," Beast Boy added, with a slight grin. Then his face fell. "Well, almost all of us."

"We'll find a cure, Beast Boy," Robin tried to sound firm and optimistic.

"Look! There is a dark figure approaching our home!" Starfire, who had been watching the lightening storm, cried out. She pointed out the window she was standing in front of.

"In this weather? Is this guy insane?" Cyborg asked, following the others in their rush for the door.

The door opened on a rain-drenched Raven holding someone enfolded in her nearly-as-wet cloak. A moment passed before they took in the familiar features, and realized the person was Terra.

There was then a mad rush to remove Terra from Raven's arms and get the unconscious Titan to the infirmary.

Raven followed more slowly, closing the door behind her. Taking a few steps forward, she bent down to retrieve her discarded cloak, replaced it on her shoulders, and then made her way toward her room for some well-deserved rest.

But before she could open her door, Starfire came flying down the hallway and grabbed her, thankfully, uninjured arm, and began pulling her to the infirmary. "Friend Terra has awakened!" she stated, not at all containing her excitement.

Raven let out a breathless sigh and did not resist.

They entered to find everyone surrounding Terra, who looked completely confused as to how she had gotten there.

"Terra, are you okay?" Beast Boy asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I think so…" Terra said, still somewhat mystified.

"Vital signs are regulating," Cyborg commented, looking at the machines, then back at Terra. "Good to know you're all right."

"Really? You mean, you guys aren't still mad?"

"Not at all," Beast Boy pronounced.

"You proved yourself a true Titan in the end," Robin affirmed. "Do you still have your Titan communicator?" At a shake of her head, Robin reassured her, "We'll get you another one, don't worry about it."

"Oh, friend Terra, I am so very pleased to know that you are going to live," Starfire said, exaggerating a bit. "And that you are going to stay with us."

"Right," Raven commented in her monotone voice. "Nice to know you're safe. Now, I'll be going to bed." She began to exit, but twisted her head when her name was called.

"Raven!" Beast Boy cried out, indignant. "Terra just woke up! You could at least _try _and be a bit more considerate!"

"Yeah, Rae. I hate to say it, but BB's kind of right," Cyborg relented.

"Yes, friend Raven, are you not happy that friend Terra has returned?" Starfire inquired.

Raven turned her head away, lest any of them see emotions that may be evident on her face at their words. She did not speak so the feelings would not reveal themselves in her voice. Only wanting respite, she tried to ignore them as she silently left.

"So, Terra," Robin addressed the blonde, bringing all awareness back to her. "How…" He was not sure how to phrase his question.

"How come I'm not a statue anymore?" she inserted. The others all nodded. "I'm not sure. I just remember suddenly not being stone. I think I saw Raven, but I passed out, so I don't know for certain."

"Well, Raven was the one who brought you here," Cyborg recalled. "Maybe that's why she's tired…" At that moment, Terra yawned, and everyone forgot Cyborg's comment.

"You should rest," Robin ordered. "We'll be back to check on you later." He dragged Beast Boy out of the room, and the others followed willingly enough.

In her room, Raven struggled to bind her shoulder, and then changed clothes before falling to sleep the instant her head touched her pillow.

The other Titans sat eating dinner, chatting excitedly about Terra's return. Robin again brought up the cause of her sudden reappearance.

"Do you think Raven did it?" Cyborg suggested.

"She didn't help out with any of our researching," Robin pointed out.

"Perhaps friend Raven was looking on her own?" Starfire said, sounding hopeful.

"What could she do sitting in her room all day?" Beast Boy countered.

They soon gave up the debate and went to bed.

Raven slept for nearly an entire day. Once she was awake, all anyone ever spoke of was Terra. Starfire and Beast Boy were the worst. They ranted about how great it was having her back. Raven was occasionally berated for her lack of enthusiasm. They seemed to have completely forgotten that her powers reacted to emotions, especially strong ones.

No one noticed her arm, either. Her powers had not replenished enough yet for her shoulder to be healed. Though the injury was not major, at least in her opinion, she was still slightly hurt. Understandably, of course, there was Terra to occupy their attention.

Terra was recommended to stay in the infirmary for a few days just to be sure she was healthy. While there, the others visited her often. Raven went to see her once, and found Beast Boy and Robin there as well. Both of them, especially Beast Boy, watched her almost warily, as if they believed she had ulterior motives. Raven had taken to visiting once everyone was asleep after the incident. Terra was never awake, so they did not speak, but Raven had no other option. She did not like the feeling of being scrutinized by her own teammates.

Nearly three days following her sudden arrival on the Titans' doorstep, Terra was out of the infirmary and seeing the Tower as home. Late that afternoon, the alarm went off, signaling the first emergency in over a week.

"Looks like we've got another Adonis on our hands," Robin said, looking at the screen and doing some quick typing. "We don't know what this suit will be able to do, so be careful. All right, Titans, let's go!"

"Come on, Terra!" Beast Boy called. The Titans ran out the door, Raven a few steps behind the others.

* * *

A/N: Wow, I hadn't expected so many reviews so quickly. Thank you! 

ThessalyD: Thanks! And yes, it's certainly not a cheery story.

Aurorasmist: Thank you. I'll update when I can, but I won't make any promises.

VashTheStampede7123: Thanks! But my updates are rather sporadic, I'm sorry to say. I hope this will keep you happy until next time.

Roxxie: Thank you, I plan to, as long as I don't get writer's block

BlackShield: No need to worry, I'm not good at writing romance, so I don't. If there is anything, it's subtle. Thanks for the grammar grade, I work really hard at grammar because I've always thought that if a story does not read nicely, it can ruin the content. And I completely understand the originality grade: I've read other 'saving Terra' stories myself. Thank you very much!

IcePrincezz: Thanks for the review! I just hope don't make anyone too OOC.

'Someone': I intend to do just that. Thank you for reviewing.

samuraiduck27: Thanks! I hope you liked this chapter, they won't come this frequently, I'm afraid.

CheezySquirrel: Thanks very much! I hope you found this chapter just as satisfactory.

tiger 889: Why, thank you. And thanks for reviewing!

Silence The Butterfly: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. I hope you liked this chapter, too.

'hey': Thank you. I hope you feel the same about this chapter.


	3. New Threat Revealed

The Titans arrived at the scene to find the villain exiting what had previously been a very nice bank. He dropped the bags, which obviously contained money and valuables, and turned to address them.

His power suit appeared similarly humanoid in shape to that of Adonis. But where Adonis's suit had been mostly red in color, the new threat before them was colored in varying degrees of blue. The main visible difference, though, was the helmet that the character wore. The dark visor hid the face of their enemy. But from the voice that spoke, the Titans guessed their adversary to be male.

"Ah, I was hoping you were going to show," the man commented.

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"So I could test out my new toy!" He raised his hand, and the fingertips bent inward, releasing five small rockets at the gathered Titans.

"Raven, shield!" Robin instructed. Raven instantly complied, throwing the majority of the little power she had regained since reviving Terra into the guard.

The first hit and detonated, injuring no one. The second did the same, but Raven's shield began to flicker and fade. The third broke through her barrier, and the other two missiles followed it.

"Raven!" Several of them cried.

Suddenly threes rocks flew up to meet the remaining projectiles. The Titans could feel the heat from the explosions, but they remained unharmed. The males and Starfire breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Terra."

"Good job."

"I am so pleased that you were here to aid us."

"Man, you saved our lives."

"Hey, Raven." She looked at them, her face betraying nothing of her emotions. "Maybe you should meditate more or something," Cyborg suggested.

"You could have gotten us killed!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"We'll talk about it later, right now, we're busy," Robin stated, turning to face their opponent. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"You can call me Delano." They could almost hear the grin in his voice. "And now, I think I'll be going."

"I don't think so, _Delano_. You had to pay for what you've done," Robin said, halting the man with his voice. "Titans, go!"

Every one of them rushed in, except for Raven. She knew she would have to conserve her power, since she had such a small amount left. Her attacks would have to be calculated and cautious.

She watched as Robin tried to fight Delano physically with punches and kicks. Cyborg fired his sonic cannon, and Starfire launched her energy bolts. Terra hurled rocks. Beast Boy was attempting to harm Delano as many different animals. Their attacks had extremely little effect. Delano's armor was strong. The suit made his attacks even more powerful. The only advantage the Titans had was their numbers.

In her effort to be especially careful with the use of her powers, Raven found her own strikes serving mostly as a distraction to give her teammates an opening or save them from being harmed.

At one point, Delano's foot came down hard on the ground. Cyborg and Robin, who were near him, lost their balance and fell hard. The blast that Cyborg had been aiming at Delano went wide, and hit the rock Terra was standing on several stories above. All rocks she had been controlling dropped to the ground, along with her. But as she started to fall, Beast Boy caught her in his pterodactyl form.

Delano picked up one of Terra's nearby rocks, and hurled it at an unsuspecting Starfire.

"Starfire!" Robin called as she was knocked unconscious and began to drop from a dangerous elevation. But no matter how hard her ran, Robin knew he wouldn't reach her in time.

Raven used most of her remaining power to appear under the plummeting alien and catch her. She had, however, forgotten about her as-of-yet unhealed shoulder.

She lost all of her concentration as immense pain flared in her arm and upper back. It was all she could do to not release her grip on Starfire.

They both began to fall, though from a less perilous height. Raven turned slightly in the air for their landing. The resulting crash was more painful than she had imagined it would be. She had landed on her back, allowing the unconscious Starfire to use her body to cushion the sudden halt in their fall. Starfire's added weight had not helped Raven in the least.

A groan escaped Raven's unwilling lips. Almost as a result, Starfire began to waken. The others arrived, and they helped the shaky Tamaranian stand. Raven sat up slowly, and unthinking grabbed her shoulder as she suppressed a hiss of pain.

For the first time the other Titans noticed the makeshift bandage Raven wore to support her shoulder.

"Friend Raven," Starfire said, her senses regained. "You are injured!"

"Raven, why didn't you tell us about this?" Cyborg asked.

"You should have told us. You put us in danger as well as yourself by not telling us when you're hurt," Robin scolded.

"Hey, that Delano guy is getting away!" Terra shouted, pointing upward. They followed the direction of her finger and saw that Delano's power suit had a rocket pack, and he was using it to escape.

"We'll discuss this later. Let's go," Robin instructed.

They soon caught up to Delano. One of Starfire's energy bolts damaged the rocket pack, and Delano crash-landed near the outskirts of town, in the small industry district. Before the Titans could stop him, he fled into the nearest building, which had been only recently abandoned.

The Titans moved cautiously through the structure. Many colored liquids had been left, or had not yet been disposed of, and they had no idea what the chemicals had been used for.

The sound of glass breaking startled them, and they turned to see Beast Boy standing next to a broken vial and a green liquid staining the floor. They glared at him.

"Um, sorry?"

A hissing sound brought their attention back to the floor, which was now being eaten away by whatever acid the changeling had spilled.

Robin barely dodged the beaker that was thrown at his head, the pink fluid having a similar decomposing effect on the wall.

All of the Titans turned to the source, only to separate to avoid the barrage of chemicals that were being tossed at them.

They tried to stop Delano per Robin's orders, but the spilt chemicals began to mix, and a hazy smoke soon began to fill the air.

"It's not safe here!" Robin shouted to the others, raising his arm to cover his nose and mouth. "Let's get back to the Tower!"

As he began backing towards the nearest exit, the other Titans followed.

Raven was following as well, when suddenly a glass beaker smashed in front of her. When whatever substance it contained mixed with another, either in the air or on the ground, a large cloud of smoke suddenly swallowed her. She began to cough as the substance made its way into her lungs.

She stumbled out of the smog, only to fall to the ground in a dead faint.

* * *

ThessalyD: Thanks! Raven will be leaving, and she will probably come back, unless I have a sudden inspiration to have her do otherwise. No blatant pairings. Subtle things may appear, and readers may see them as they wish: as signs of friendship, or something more. Thank you for reviewing!

BlackShield: lol. I completely agree with you on the pairings remark. I admit that the other Titans are a bit more out of character than I would like, but the story is told slightly from Raven's point of view, and one could put down their overly-harsh actions to her fears that they don't need her anymore, at least in this fiction. And there will probably be a scene of regretful 'why did I say that?'s in the near future. Thanks so much for your reviews!

Defafaeth Mechqua: Right back at you! Thanks for reviewing!

aurorasmist: Thank you, I'm glad you like it! Don't worry, I won't stop in the middle, but updates may become a bit scarcer once school starts again.

DelofDani: Thanks! I know, I want to slap them myself, and I'm the one writing it that way, lol. Thank you again!

Sparrowing: Thank you! This chapter took a bit longer to get out, but I hope it still meets up to your expectations.

VashTheStampede7123: Thank you very much! I hope you feel the same about this chapter, too!

nevermoretheraven: Thank _you_! I'm really glad you like it. This fiction is my main focus at them moment, so updates shouldn't be rare until I have to go back to school. Thanks again!

darkgoddess333: Thanks very much! I hope you liked this chapter as well.

'wouldntyouliketoknow?': Yes, I do agree, poor Raven. But Terra was a statue, so we can't know how perceptive she was in that state. The other Titans care, but sometimes people forget to acknowledge the good things about those close to them, and instead only pay attention enough to reprimand the bad. Kind of the moral of this story, I guess you could say. Thanks for reviewing!

disappearer/Syani: Thank you! I do hope not to rush, sometimes that can be a bad habit of mine when I write. I'd appreciate it if you let me know if I do start going too quickly. And no, this is not a BBRaeTer love triangle. I'm not good at writing romance, so I don't. However, subtle gestures are prone to appear.


	4. Reprimand and Regret

Raven's return to consciousness was sudden. She woke to find herself lying on her back staring up at the familiar ceiling of her own room. She sat up in her own bed, and realized that she was still in her dirty clothes from when she had passed out, and her shoulder was still held by the poor bandaging job she had done herself. Her shoulder, however, had begun healing on its own, which meant that most of her powers had returned. _How long was I out?_ she wondered, stripping off the useless bandage and changing her outfit.

Raven exited her room and made her way to the main living area of the Tower. They were all there, gathered around the table and eating pizza for dinner. Raven could hear them laughing and chatting happily. She walked up to them, and they finally noticed her presence.

"So, you're finally awake," Cyborg commented, somewhat dryly.

"Yeah, it's been like three days. You sure can sleep, Raven." Beast Boy sounded as if he was almost complaining. Raven would have thought, even expected, that after being unconscious for three days they would be relieved to see her awake. She was surprised they had not taken her to the infirmary. Perhaps that was too much to hope for.

"Raven, sit down," Robin instructed. Raven took the nearest empty seat, which was next to Starfire. "We need to talk about what happened when we fought Delano."

"Did you catch him?" Raven could not keep herself from asking.

"Yes, no thanks to you. We caught him the next day, when he tried to rob another bank."

"Terra totally kicked his butt!" Beast Boy declared proudly. Raven looked across the table at Terra, whose cheeks pinked slightly at the compliment.

"Yes, friend Terra did a wonderful job at stopping Delano," Starfire added.

"Awesome job," Cyborg said grinning.

"I fully agree," Robin stated, his face brightening. Then he turned serious. "If it hadn't been for her that first time, we'd all have been seriously injured. What happened, Raven?"

Raven attempted a glare. "You know I don't have complete control over my powers," she stated.

"Maybe you should try harder to get control of them, then," Cyborg retorted rather harshly.

"Seriously," Beast Boy muttered.

Raven's eyes widened fractionally in surprise. Both Cyborg and Beast Boy had gone through her mirror and into her mind. If any of the Titans understood the troubles she had with her emotions, and henceforth, her powers, it would be those two. Instead, they were berating her for matters she had little control over.

"I've been trying. It's not easy." She tried to remain passive.

"Perhaps, Raven, you should try harder," Starfire suggested, her usual friendly voice dulled when she addressed Raven.

"And what were you doing while the rest of us were fighting Delano, Raven?" Robin continued. "Terra, Beast Boy, Cyborg and I were all trying are hardest to defeat him. I'm not sure I even saw you try to hit him."

"Yeah, how come you didn't try to blast him?" Cyborg questioned.

"Or throw something at him?" Beast Boy inquired.

"I _did_." Raven was not sure whether to feel sad or angry. She felt both, but the sadness and helplessness were quickly overcoming any emotions of irritation she felt towards her teammates.

"Well, we didn't see you," Robin said, still sounding skeptical. "And what happened when you went to catch Starfire?"

"My shoulder had already been injured," Raven put in quietly.

"Then why did you not tell us so?" Starfire asked.

"By not telling us you nearly got Starfire killed," Cyborg accused.

"And then we had to carry you out of that abandoned factory after you fainted," Beast Boy complained.

Raven did not speak for fear of her emotions taking over. She no longer saw any point to arguing with them, even to defend herself. Instead, she stood up and turned to leave.

"Yeah, leave. It's not like you've been of any help lately," Beast Boy stated.

"Was she ever any help to us?" Robin asked, almost as an afterthought.

"Nah, I don't think so. At least not since Terra came back," Cyborg answered.

"Yes, friend Terra is far more efficient at the fighting of crime," Starfire said, sounding proud of her teammate.

"And she has control over her powers," Robin added.

"She's way more powerful, too," Beast Boy claimed.

Throughout the entire discourse, Terra had not supported the other Titan's accusations, but neither had she spoken in Raven's defense. And though Raven was not certain, she thought she had seen a triumphant, almost evil, smirk upon the blonde girl's face when no one else had been watching.

Raven could not stand to hear any more. She left, blinking away tears and fighting the depression that threatened to consume her.

They really did not need her anymore. So why stay? Especially if all they were going to do was criticize her and elaborate on her insignificance. She had almost expected them to throw her out at the end of their exchange.

Raven released a breathless sigh. She resigned herself to leaving in the morning, before any of them noticed. She laid her head on her pillow, not acknowledging the single tear that slid silently down her cheek. _Not that they would care_, was her last coherent thought before the blissful quiet of sleep overtook her.

_XXXXX_

Beast Boy, Cyborg, Robin, Starfire, and Terra sat around the living room in a morose silence. Nearly four days had passed since the incident in the abandoned factory, and Raven still lay in a comatose state. The chemicals she had inhaled were having a strange effect on her mind, but that was all Cyborg had been able to tell them, despite the technology at his disposal.

They had treated her shoulder as soon as they returned to the tower, and it had healed nicely. Terra and Starfire had changed her dirty, chemical-saturated clothes for clean ones. She had been in the infirmary for over three days before they decided to move her to her more comfortable bed, which was where she lay now. They all visited her constantly, only to observe no difference in her condition. She was always sleeping; looking more peaceful than any of them remembered seeing her in a long time.

"Terra," Beast Boy suddenly spoke. "Do you still not know how you were cured?"

"No. I keep trying to remember, but then my head starts to hurt," Terra answered sadly. "But I can't help but think that Raven had something to do with it."

"She was the one to bring you here," Cyborg reminded them.

"Didn't you say that you thought you saw her when you suddenly weren't stone anymore?" Robin inquired. Terra nodded. "So, how did she know that would be the night that you would be restored, unless she _did_ have something to do with it?"

"Poor friend Raven," Starfire said sadly. "When she came back, we rushed friend Terra to be treated, and left friend Raven alone."

"Yeah, and wasn't Terra wrapped in Raven's cloak?" Cyborg tried to remember. "That was some crazy weather we had that night. Raven was soaked."

"And then I gave her a hard time for wanting to sleep," Beast Boy said regretfully.

"We all could have been nicer," Cyborg stated.

"I practically yelled at her for not telling us about her arm," Robin said quietly. "But we should have noticed. She is our friend."

"And she helped us out all of those times when we fought against Delano," Beast Boy added.

"We've still got to get that punk!" Cyborg growled. "He's to blame for the chemicals."

"Once Raven's awake, we'll find him," Terra said, also wanting revenge. "But we shouldn't leave Raven alone unless we have to."

"She saved my life," Starfire murmured. "I never had the chance to thank her."

"You will," Robin assured her. He sighed. "For now, though, let's get some sleep. We'll check on Raven again in the morning."

The gathered Titans bid each other goodnight and headed to their rooms, all of them worried for their friend.

* * *

ThessalyD: Do you feel a bit better about the other Titans now? Either way, though, I will not be pairing anyone up. I'm not good at writing romance, so I don't even attempt it. I'll take your suggestion about Terra into consideration. I'm touched that my fiction has had such an effect on your feelings towards Terra. Thank you! 

nevermoretheraven: I hope your anger is beginning to ebb now that the other Titans are feeling guilty. Thanks for reviewing!

BlackShield: Not exactly what you were expecting, was it? I hope you still liked it. Again, thank you for reviewing!

samuraiduck27: Thanks! I hope you feel the same about this chapter.

disappearer/Syani: No, worries, it's not a RaeCy fic. Actually, it's not a RaeAnyone fic. I hope this chapter thickened things up like you meant. I tried to remember to put her feelings into words as I wrote it. I hope it turned out all right. And I wasn't so much going for a cliffhanger as much as that just seemed the place to end it. But if I get a chance, I'll take a look at your stories. Thank you for your commentary, it is very much appreciated.

Sparrowing: Thanks very much! I hope you feel the same about this chapter, too. Did you have a happy holiday?

Wild Spirit Of Darkness2: Did I update quick enough? Thanks for the review!

sweethart20o: Thank you, and will do!

Psychic Cirrus: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you liked this chapter as well. Thank you for reviewing!

AlwaysWrite: Well, the guilt has begun to set in. And I do agree with you at least partially on the Terra point. However, the show is aimed at young audiences, and so the messages being sent are supposed to be about forgiveness and second chances as opposed to revenge and grudges. I hope I updated at a decent speed for you. Thanks so much for reviewing!

lady isil: Thank you, and I'll continue to update as soon as I am able.

Ravens-Rage: Sorry, I'm afraid there won't be any pairings in this story. I'm just not any good at writing romance. However, you may find subtle hints towards more-than-friendly feelings, if you watch for them. Thank you for the review!

'hey': Thanks! I plan to. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

tinkerbellx2: Thank you very much! Yes, poor Raven. But the period of guilt has begun with the other Titans. Thanks again for the review!


	5. Remembrance and Loss

A/N: The last chapter, understandably, confused some people. So here is an explanation—the majority of the chapter (until the '_X_'s) was a hallucination/nightmare of sorts triggered by the chemicals Raven inhaled. The last few paragraphs were what really was happening. I hope that unconfused people. Thank you!

* * *

"Friend Raven has gone missing!" 

Starfire had been the first to wake the following morning, and so had been the one to discover Raven's absence. The male Titans, hearing Starfire's exclamation, came running to the dark girl's room, only to find the room's owner gone.

"Where…?" Beast Boy started, but his mind was slow at waking.

"Cyborg, see if you can locate her communicator," Robin was quick to order.

"Right." Cyborg tapped a few button on his arm. Suddenly a look of confusion came over his face. At questioning looks from the others, he said, "According to this, she's still in the Tower…in Terra's room."

They ran to Terra's room and knocked. A few seconds later, the blonde opened the door looking as if she had just woken up.

"Friend Terra, is friend Raven in your room?" Starfire asked, trying to peek behind Terra into the room.

"Uh, no."

Cyborg stepped past Terra into the room, his eyes remaining on the screen in his arm.

"She's not in here. I think I would have seen her if she was," Terra protested slightly.

Cyborg walked over to the bed. "No, Raven's not in here. He picked something up off of the pillow. "But her communicator is."

"Why is Raven's communicator in Terra's room?" Beast Boy asked.

"That's a good question," Robin said quietly.

Terra's eyes widened slightly. "You know, I still haven't gotten my new communicator…"

"What are you saying? That doesn't explain why Raven gave you hers," Robin said.

"But add that to the way we've treated her recently…" Cyborg stated.

"Raven ran away?" Beast Boy inquired disbelievingly.

"Yeah, and I still don't know the exact effect of those chemicals. They could have had something to do with it, too," Cyborg added.

"Let's go back to her room, and make sure there aren't any signs that tell us otherwise," Robin suggested. "Then we can decide on a plan to find her."

The Titans made their way back to Raven's room, and searched for hints to her sudden disappearance.

"Man, look at all of these old books," Beast Boy commented. He pulled one off the shelf that looked like it had been hastily shoved back into its place.

"Beast Boy," Robin reprimanded, "We're looking for clues as to why Raven's not here. This isn't the time to—"

A small cry of pain brought their attention to Terra, who was on her knees and clutching her head between her hands. Suddenly the blonde passed out.

Terra regained consciousness a few minutes later to see the faces of her friends looming over her. She sat up slowly with their help.

"Terra, are you all right?" Beast Boy asked worriedly. She nodded.

"What happened?" Robin demanded.

"I…I remember," Terra said quietly. She leaned forwards and reached for the small box she had been looking in before she fainted. Inside sat a small bowl, crystals, and candles. "I was looking at these…and I suddenly remembered." She looked up at all of them. "Raven's the one who brought me back."

"So she really did do it," Beast Boy remarked quietly, almost reverently.

Terra looked at him and nodded. Then the book he was still holding caught her eye. "I think I might remember this, too," she said, indicating the book. She gently took it from him. "I know there was an old book." She opened it to where a piece of paper marked a page. The words written on the page itself were cryptic and not of their language. However, the bookmarker also had writing on it. After skimming over the contents, Terra nodded. "I remember hearing these words."

The others read the powerful words over her shoulder as she continued to stare at the frail paper.

"Terra, can you tell us what happened that night?" Robin requested.

She nodded. "I heard a voice, speaking these words," she began, eyes never straying from the paper before her. "I think I heard a storm, too. Then there was a bright light. I'm pretty sure that a lightening bolt struck me, shattering the stone I was trapped in." She paused in thought.

"The force must have been amazing," Cyborg observed. "I'm surprised Raven wasn't injured—" That was when they remembered, she had been.

"Yeah," Terra continued. "Right after the blinding light, it must have been Raven that I saw. She was against the far wall of the area. She must have been blown back when the lightening struck."

"Then what?" Beast Boy encouraged her to go on.

"I'm not sure, I passed out."

"You did have a bruise on your temple. You probably hit your head when you fell."

"Why did friend Raven not use her powers to keep you from falling?" Starfire inquired.

"Why did she not use her powers to carry Terra back to the Tower? Or simply teleport both of them back? Carrying Terra must have put a strain on her shoulder." Robin countered. "She must have used all of her power to cure Terra."

"And that would explain why she was especially reserved with her powers when we fought Delano. And why she needed to rest," Cyborg stated.

"Why? Why did she do it?" Terra had to ask, even if no one knew the answer. "I would have thought that, out of all of you, she would hate me the most for what I did."

"Perhaps friend Raven did not bring you back so much for your sake, as for ours," Starfire speculated wisely, surprising everyone. "Though I'm certain friend Raven missed you as well, we most certainly did. Since Raven is our friend, she probably did not like seeing us so unhappy."

Once the other Titan came out of their shock at Starfire's sensible conclusion, they nodded in agreement to her words.

"We've got to find her," Terra declared.

"She's done so much for us," Robin said.

"She's our friend," Beast Boy added.

"And we have much to thank her for," Starfire asserted.

"Well, then, let's get working on a way to find her!" Cyborg proclaimed. The others nodded, and they reconvened soon after to discuss how to locate and retrieve Raven.

* * *

Skye: Thank you! Hope you continue to enjoy the story! 

Inuyashastwin: Thanks very much! So far, no definite parings. I'm glad you like it.

Poopy Penguin: Thank you so much! I'm happy that you're happy with it

VashTheStampede7123: Don't worry about not being able to review. It just meant that you had more chapters to come back to, right? Thanks so much!

Defafaeth Mechqua: Yup! You got it! Thanks for the review!

DarkGoddessRaven: I completely forgot to mention Raven's powers! I guess I was used to her having them gone from the spell that I forgot to show when they came back. Something probably should have blown up when that tear fell in the last chapter. Thanks for reminding me, and thank you for the review!

BlackShield: No problem about the wait, thanks for reviewing! I'm just happy you like!

nevermoretheraven: lol, if you're looking for non-romance this is probably a good fiction to choose. Thanks for the review!

AlwaysWrite: I hope the Author's Note at the beginning clarified the last chapter for you. I'm glad you said something, I want my writing to make sense Thanks for reviewing!

papersak: Yes, I almost decided to end the chapter with Raven's deliriousness, but then the reviews I would get scared me, lol. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it! Thank you!

Sparrowing: Did the Author's Note in the beginning help you? I've had a decent holiday, thank you. I hope you enjoyed New Years as well. Thank you for the reviews!

Taiba: I did not care for her much at first either, now I'm more neutral. But for this story, she's good.

Secretly Dark: I hope the Author's Note in the beginning explained the last chapter for you. If there still something confusing, let me know, okay?

'Surprised': Thank you! I had been considering ending the chapter with just Raven's dream, but I predicted the not-so-happy responses I would get if I didn't explain in the same chapter, lol. Anyway, I hope this was soon enough for you!

disappearer/Syani: Thank you for the evaluation! I definetly have to agree with you, at least to some degree, on the Cyborg-Raven relationship. Thanks for the review!

Lexi The Writer: lol, they'll get nicer. Guilt is an interesting emotion, no? Thanks for reviewing!

'hey': Thank you! I will!

Tigerfly57: I'm not sure about pairings. In all likelihood, there won't be a pairing. I'm no romance writer, I'm afraid. I'm glad you like it! Thanks!

Pikachu: Did I update soon enough? I'm happy you like the story. Thank you!

The Eccentric CheezySquirrel: Thank you very much! I hope this was quick enough for you!

Moony Luver: Thanks so much! I hope you like this chapter, too!

To my _very_ anonymous reviewer: Thanks very much! I'm so glad you like the story. I will be sure to continue with it.


	6. So Far, Resolve

Months had passed, and still no sign of Raven. They had exhausted all of their resources in their effort to find her, and had found nothing, not so much as a hint to a possible location. They had thought that she would stand out wherever she went, but no one had seen anyone like her.

The remaining Titans continued their crime fighting, questioning every villain they caught. None had anything to tell them about their missing friend. Several days following Raven's departure, they had caught Delano trying to rob another bank. He had not known anything, either. The difficulty with which they defeated him, however, confirmed how much Raven had helped them when they had fought the first time.

Starfire, Terra, and Beast Boy had taken to scouring Jump City, as well as neighboring towns, almost daily. Cyborg could be found in front of the computer most hours. Robin was constantly making phone calls and meeting with contacts. Yet still, nothing.

"Guys, get in here!" Cyborg called. The excitement in his voice filled the others with hope. But they could also detect a hint of disbelief in his tone.

The girls, who were about to leave for another search, came running. Beast Boy, who had just returned from a hunt, followed just behind them. Robin hung up the phone and raced down the hall.

"What is it, Cy? Did you find her?" Robin asked immediately.

Cyborg nodded. "I think so."

"Well, where is she? Is she in the city?" Beast Boy pressed.

"No…"

"Is she nearby?" Terra questioned.

"No…"

"Where is she, then?" Beast Boy repeated, exasperated.

Cyborg paused. "Europe."

"What?" they cried simultaneously.

"I know, but…" He tapped a few keys. A female face with black hair up in a messy bun appeared. Dark brown, almost black, eyes stared dully ahead. The face was slightly thinner than they remembered, but it belonged to Raven.

"Friend Raven!" Starfire cried, ecstatic for the first time in months. She quickly sobered. "Friend Raven has lost her color."

"She died her hair, and probably got colored contacts," Cyborg explained. When Starfire looked confused, he added simply, "Her color will come back." Starfire brightened slightly. "She changed her name, too. But that's not surprising. If she'd kept it, we probably would have found her sooner."

"How'd she get to Europe? _Why'd_ she go to Europe?" Beast Boy asked.

Cyborg hit a few more keys. The screen zoomed out. They now saw that the picture of Raven was part of a license. A pilot's license. Several jaws dropped.

"Um, I guess it's appropriate," Terra suggested quietly.

"How did you find her, Cy?" Robin inquired.

More typing. A newspaper appeared on the screen sporting a hazy copy of the license picture. "I had thought she might change her hair, so I kept searching just for her face. I followed any possible leads, and this one came up a couple hours ago."

"Why didn't you call us then?" Terra demanded.

"Because," Cyborg said, "I've had similar leads that ended up being dead ends. I'll admit that this was the best one I'd had. But the newspaper was also originally in French, and I had to get it translated. And I needed to get a better picture to be sure."

"What does the paper say, Cy?" Robin asked.

"It says that she was at the top of her class when she became a stewardess, but almost immediately gave up that to become a pilot. She graduated early."

"She's that good?"

Cyborg nodded. "Says she's also working on improved designs. Got contracts for projects not even half completed."

"Designs for what, exactly?"

"Everything. Inside and out."

A stunned silence followed. "Wow." The word, spoken by Terra, came out as a soft breath, expressing what all of the others thought.

"I know," Cyborg said. "I couldn't have found her otherwise."

"What?"

"If her picture hadn't been in the paper, it would not have come up as a possible match."

"But couldn't you have searched through the pilot license pictures?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't have thought to."

"Well, come on! What are we waiting for? We need to get Raven back!" Terra cried.

"I don't know her flight schedule. That's classified information, apparently," Cyborg explained.

"I'll get it," Robin stated confidently. "Meet me in the living room in twenty minutes."

When they had reconvened, Robin reported his findings. "Raven's not listed to fly anywhere out of Europe within the next few weeks, which is as far as the schedule stretches."

"So, then, we must go to this 'Your-Rope' and find friend Raven," Starfire said determinedly.

Robin sighed. "Her schedule is really busy within the next few days. She's given leeway because of her designing, so her agenda is almost unpredictable. Our best chance is to meet her before she flies out of London in three days."

Everyone looked dejected, but the hope of finally recovering their friend postponed any arguments about waiting another few days.

"Let's get some rest. We'll leave in about forty-eight hours," Robin ordered. "It won't be a short flight."

They retired to their rooms, both anxious and content.

Less than three days later, the Titans were at the London airport Raven was expected to depart from.

Robin caught the arm of the first stewardess he saw. "We're looking for Alaina Aure," Robin stated, using the name Raven had adopted. "She's a pilot."

The woman blinked at them. "Miss Aure?" She spoke with a French accent.

"Yes, we're friends of hers. We were told she'd be flying out of this airport today. Do you know her? Can you take us to her?"

"Yes, I know her. I've flown with her before."

"Great! Take us to her, then!" Terra exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, I can't. Miss Aure isn't flying today. She finished her latest plane design and resigned only yesterday. Please, excuse me. I must be going. Au revoir."

Amidst the turmoil of the terminal, the Titans stood in sullen, shocked silence. They had been so close, but they had missed their chance. Starfire began to cry, and Terra, comforting the Tamaranian, leaked a few tears as well.

Crestfallen, they made their way back to their jet. After the many hours required to return to the Tower, their despair had hardened into resolve to find Raven.

* * *

Defafaeth Mechqua: I'm glad you think so. 

Sparrowing: I'm glad everything makes sense now. Thank you for reviewing! Happy '05 to you, too!

nevermoretheraven: I'm glad you liked the last one, but what about this one? Yes, this is not an evil Terra fiction. Thanks for the reviews!

DelofDani: Thank you and congratulations, you're the only one who caught that typo. Which I have edited, by the way. As for your other news, I feel your pain. I can't believe their getting rid of Raven. It's… there isn't a word to describe how evil and wrong that is. Thank you for telling me. And thanks for your reviews!

Poopy Penguin: Thank you. I'm less certain about how well this chapter went. What do you think?

DarkAngel2004: I'll probably heed that advice. In all likelihood, there will be no official pairings, so you have nothing to worry about. I'm glad you like the story. I hope you feel the same about this chapter.

Pikachu: This one took a bit longer to get out. I'm glad you like the story. What do you think of this chapter? Thanks for reviewing!

Raven of the night 676: I'm sorry it took so long for me to update. What do you think? I'm glad you've been enjoying my fiction. Thank you for the review!

BlackShield: Yes, they are indeed feeling the full effects of the Oops Syndrome. Was London far enough? I'm so uncertain about where Jump City is 'located' that I decided to have her leave the country altogether. I look forward to your opinion on this chapter. Thank you so much for all of your reviews!

samuraiduck27: Thanks very much! I'm glad it makes sense now and that you enjoy the story. I hope this update was relatively fast enough for you, and that the chapter met with your expectations.

VashTheStampede7123: Thank you, I'm glad you think everything is just right. I hope this chapter allows you to continue to think so. However, I doubt Terra will die in this fiction. But, I'll consider it. Thanks again!

Tigerfly57: Not a problem. I'm glad you like my fiction. Thank you for the review!

'hey': I hope I updated fast enough for you. As far as I know, the place where authors answer reviews does not have an official name. Some authors do not acknowledge reviewers at all. But I've always thought that, if someone takes the time to send a review, especially a nice one, the least I could do is take the time to answer back. So, thank _you_!

Sarah1281: Thanks. I suppose the timing was a bit phenomenal, or perhaps coincidental. But…it's a fiction. And who really knows how our minds work, anyway? lol

Skye: Thank you. I hope you like this chapter, as well. Are you a Starfire fan?

StonySilence: Well, I'm glad you liked it. And I hope your alter ego wasn't hurt too badly. Thanks for the review!

disappearer/Syani: Perhaps. And I understand what you mean about Cy and Rae. Thank you! I'm glad you like my fiction!

dancingirl3: Thanks very much! I hope this was updated at a reasonable pace for you.


	7. Remarkable Rave

_Did she know we were coming, and run from us? How did she know we were coming? Why did she run? Is she angry with us? She couldn't be afraid of us, could she? How are going to get her back if she won't even see us?_

The Titans questioned, debated, and contemplated, but they knew the answers lay only with Raven.

But Raven had disappeared again, and almost an entire month had passed with no sign of her. They had expanded their searches to international, and checked for her new name and appearance, but no progress had been made. In all likelihood, she had adopted another identity and guise.

Then, "Hey, guys." The others turned to regard Beast Boy. He held up a letter and a set of tickets in one hand, in his other hand was an envelope that had arrived with the day's mail. "An old friend of mine sent me these." He scanned the letter, and then looked up at his teammates. "They're tickets to a club a few towns over. Wanna go?"

"We need to find Raven," Terra stated.

"I know. I want to find her as much as you do. Maybe we'll find out something while we're there," he suggested. Under Terra's glare, however, he added, "I don't want my friend's money to go to waste."

"I don't know, BB." Cyborg began to protest as well.

"Come on. The letter says there's this great new bartender. She's supposed to be really good looking." He waggled his eyebrows, though his comic expressions had lost much of their humor since Raven's departure. "She can guess what drink a person wants without having met them before."

"How is that possible?" Robin asked skeptically. Beast Boy shrugged. "Are you sure?"

"That's what the letter says," Beast Boy replied.

"What else does the paper say, friend Beast Boy?" inquired Starfire.

Beast Boy's eyes dropped to read more of the letter. "Says she might not be there when we go…"

"Why?" Cyborg asked.

"Because she's becoming so well known that the owner won't announce when she's coming. Otherwise people might only come on those nights. The words used are 'unpredictable schedule'."

Cyborg whistled. "That good, huh?"

"I guess so."

"Does it say anything else?" Terra snatched the letter from the changeling's hand.

"Hey!"

Terra's blue eyes searched the letter quickly. They then widened, and she looked at Beast Boy with an expression of shock and anger. "Why didn't you tell us this bartender has purple hair and eyes?" she demanded.

"I didn't get that far!" Beast Boy protested. "You took it from me, remember?"

"Wait, did you just say 'purple hair and eyes'?" Robin asked. Terra nodded in affirmation. "Is it…?"

She shook her head. "Doesn't give a name."

"But, it could be her, right?" Cyborg said hopefully.

She nodded, and her voice was also hopeful. "Could be."

Starfire cheered. "Let us go and retrieve friend Raven!"

Beast Boy shook his head. "The tickets are for tomorrow night. And it's been sold out for over a week."

"So what? We're the Teen Titans!" Cyborg declared. "No one can stop us."

"Cyborg, I want to find Raven, too. But we can't abuse our authority like that," Robin reprimanded. "We'll have to wait. Plus," he added after a pause, "it might not be Raven. I hate to say it, be we have to be ready for that possibility."

"That's true," Cyborg yielded. "I mean, _Raven_, a _bartender_? _Our_ Raven?"

"Would be a good place to hide," Terra added. "Different colored hair and eyes don't stand out as being so strange in clubs."

"And all this time only a few towns over," Beast Boy murmured.

They all opted to wear their normal uniforms, more concerned with finding Raven than with their attire. Before they entered the crowded building, they overheard a group discussing the extraordinary bartender. She apparently went by the name of Bela, and had appeared out of nowhere a couple weeks ago.

Once inside, Robin grabbed the arm of the first sober person he saw. Amid the bright flashing lights within the dark interior, a moment passed before they realized that the arm happened to belong to a large security guard. Beast Boy swallowed audibly when the man glared down at them.

"We're looking for the well-known bartender here," Robin said, seemingly unfazed by the guard's unfriendly demeanor. When the latter look slightly confused at Robin's comment, the Boy Wonder added, "I think her name is Bela. Is she here?"

"I'm not at liberty to say," was the reply.

"Do you know who we are?" Cyborg challenged.

"We're the Teen Titans!" Terra replied before the guard could respond.

The mammoth of a man paused. He strained to distinguish them in the club scene. Suddenly a grin spread on his face. "That you are. You saved my cousin from a robbery some months back, along with the other people in the bank. Honored to meet you. What can I do you for?"

Surprised, Robin nonetheless repeated, "Bela?"

"Oh, yeah. She's here." He jerked a thumb at the overcrowded bar. "Good luck getting to her, though. Her shift's about to end." As the Titans turned towards the counter, he called. "Enjoy your night! You have my thanks!"

They strained so see through the flashing lights and throng of people as they moved ever closer. At first, they caught little more than a glimpse of violet here and there, until they progressed far enough. Then they saw her.

Her lavender hair was tied into multiple ponytails. She wore lilac eye shadow and amethyst-colored lipstick. What was visible from behind the counter of her black outfit enhanced the paleness of her skin. Moving closer, they observed as she poured and shook, adding one liquid to another, before passing the drink to a waiting customer.

Then, sliding yet another drink down the length of the countertop, she held up a hand in farewell, and turned to leave.

"Raven!"

"Friend Raven!"

The shouts of the Titans were lost among the shouts of "Bela" and "Bel," as the customers cried out for her to return.

They watched, trapped behind the mass, as Raven met with a short man in a brown business suit, shook his hand, spoke a few words, and disappeared through the nearest guarded exit.

A few excruciatingly long minutes later, the other Titans stepped though the same door and into an empty alleyway.

"No!" Terra cried in anguish. "We were so close!"

"Come on," Robin said, his own voice hollow. "Maybe that man knows something."

He did not. He was the owner of the club, but he had been flexible with Raven because of her immense popularity. That night was to be her last. She had warned him some time before that her stay was not likely to be permanent. He had no address for them, or any clue to her whereabouts.

The Titans had failed themselves, and Raven, again.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the wait everyone! I've been extremely busy, and I have a feeling things will only become more hectic. I just now found a few hours to write this chapter. I apologize again. I'll do my best to update. Thanks! Also, this chapter probably seems strange, but there is a method to this seeming madness. Said method will probably cause this story to go on for longer than it is warranted to, so I hope none of you get bored with it. I'd appreciate if you would let me know if it becomes uninteresting. And if you can catch the… pattern, I congratulate you. 

VashTheStampede7123: Thank you, I am glad! Thank you for the review!

BlackShield: I'm from the West Coast myself, but for some reason I've always thought of Jump City as being on the East Coast. Yes, Raven quit, and Raven quit again. All questions will be answered with the ending, I hope. I apologize for how long I took to get this chapter out. Thanks for your patience!

nevermoretheraven: That's a relief. Thanks for the information; I just don't have the time to keep up recently. I hope you liked this chapter.

dancingirl3: Thank you! I'm sorry I did not update sooner.

Sparrowing: Thanks very much! I don't know if this chapter could ever deserve that much praise, but I hope it was decent. Thanks again, and I'm sorry I took so long!

Poopy Penguin: Yes, I know. Bartender is a bit farther out there, isn't it?

DarkAngelOllie: Fluff probably would make the story more interesting, but I am not a "fluffy" writer, so-to-speak. I hope you continue to enjoy my story.

Pikachu: I hope you escaped your sister all right. I am sorry I did not update sooner. Thank you for your review.

StonySilence: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I hope this one was well enough. Thanks for reviewing!

EvilYellowCrayon: I like the idea of Raven being smart as well. I'm happy you loved the last chapter. I hope this one isn't too bad in comparison. Thanks!

Butterfly Girl Sarah: Yes, of course Raven is smart. And you are right about the summary, it is a bit ambiguous. I should have been more specific. I shall edit it when I get the chance. Thank you!

Skye5: I feel the same way about Starfire. I'm glad you found the last chapter interesting. What about this one?

Wild Spirit Of Darkness2: Was it? Her teammates sure don't know. I guess we'll all have to wait and ask Raven later. Thanks for the review!

kittykat: I'm sorry for the wait. I hope it was bearable and worth it!

shadowcat: Thank you! I will!

BloodCri: I am afraid the story will not be concluded in the near future. I hope you can stand the wait. Thanks for reviewing!

Jing King of Bandits: You got it. What do you think? Thank you for reviewing!


	8. Request to Show

"How does she just disappear like that?" Cyborg demanded in a dismayed but exasperated tone.

"Dude, chill." Beast Boy tried to sound reassuring. "We'll find her. We came really close last time."

"That was two months ago," Terra pointed out.

"Closer to seven weeks, actually," Robin corrected, almost absentmindedly.

"Whatever. We found her before; we'll find her again. She's got to pop up somewhere." The changeling spoke with a confidence that belied his true feelings of worry and sadness.

Starfire's scream interrupted their conversation.

The four Titans rushed towards the sound in a panic, only to find her dancing around in an elated mood unlike one they had seen since Raven had left. Her cry had been one of excitement. The four sweat-dropped.

"Star, what's going on?" Robin inquired.

She pointed to a screen, which was showing the ending of a commercial. "The people of the giant screen are coming here for the showing of a new, um, moovy."

"This isn't the time to go to the movies," Terra protested.

Robin started to speak, but his communicator went off. He answered it, and after a few quick moments of conversation, he hung up and addressed his team. "Seems we don't have a choice. We've been asked to go as backup for security."

Terra, unlike Starfire, did not appear pleased, but could not object.

"When is it?" Cyborg asked.

Robin grimaced. "Tonight."

"What? I don't have a tux!" Cyborg complained.

"Me neither!" Beast Boy added.

"I don't have one either. I'll call Bruce and see if he can help with that."

"We need dresses, too," Terra interjected, speaking for herself and Starfire.

Robin merely nodded.

Some hours later, in clothes suited for the event, the five arrived at a large dome-shaped building swarming with stars and the media. Terra and Starfire were asked to stand guard near the front entrance. Robin took a position near the walkway amongst the reporters, Cyborg watched the entrance to the backstage area, and Beast Boy surveyed the guests as they took their seats inside.

Cyborg observed crews carrying in lighting and music equipment, movie reels, and catering necessities. All of which, he noted with satisfaction, were rather outdated when compared to his own technology. Something caught his attention in the corner of his eye. He turned to see a lithe woman searching through boxes in the back of one of several vans. She wore a belt with round, dark red jewels embedded in gold.

"Raven?" Cyborg exclaimed, and approached her at a fast pace. "Oh, man. We've been looking everywhere for you. You've no idea—" He touched her shoulder, and the woman who turned a startled face towards him was not Raven. "Oh, er, sorry. Wrong person." He tried not to sound disappointed. Then he noticed the stones on her belt were plastic, not authentic like Raven's. Cyborg resumed his post, the pride he had earlier felt in his technical advances dampened. Despite his industrial genius, he had still not, after all, found Raven.

Beast Boy stared, enraptured, at the finely dressed people who entered to take seats in the large theater. The women, more than the men, formed an array of color amongst the constant red of the theater seats. Suddenly, the flutter of an orchid-colored cape snared his attention.

"Dude, Raven!" He sprinted towards the character that was weaving through small groupings of people as if she had not heard his call, only to come to a skidding halt when he discovered that the cloak was only an accessory to some female celebrity's outfit. He returned dejectedly to his station, the rainbows of garments no longer holding the opulence they had previously.

Terra and Starfire were admiring the finery of the women and the handsomeness of the men who passed through the entry. Terra was looking elsewhere when Starfire gave a squeal that, thankfully, went unheard by most because of the din of the crowd.

"Friend Raven!"

Terra's eyes searched in the direction Starfire was heading, and landed on something purple that periodically became visible between the throng of people. Anticipation filling her, Terra followed Starfire, only to be equally disappointed when she reached the source.

Apparently, one of the characters in the film had dark lavender hair, and they had spotted one of the movie posters, made to look animate to them by the wind and moving bodies around it. They returned to the main doors, their interest in the surrounding persons gone. They now wanted only to finish the night and continue their search for Raven.

Robin's masked eyes scanned the crowd for suspicious activity. Behind and amid the reporters were fans straining to see the stars. Short, violet hair caught his attention. He made his way to the female, only to have his hopes dashed away as he saw the terrible dye job of the enthusiast.

Once the doors officially closed, the Teen Titans took their seats near the back of the large theater. They each briefly recounted their near finding of Raven, and would have laughed at the irony had the fact that Raven remained missing not been lurking over them. The lights darkened.

The film was astoundingly marvelous. For two hours, the Titans forgot their worries, weariness, and stress as they were captivated by the plot, acting, scenery, and emotions of the picture. Action and adventure, fantasy and romance, comedy and drama, all tactfully and tastefully coalesced into one amazing movie. The actors were new, but the acting excellent. Few faces were recognizable from other shows.

At the conclusion of the two hours, with thus far no requirement of their crime-fighting abilities, they exited the theater to watch the procession of actors and actresses to the after-party. Names were heralded, admirers cheered, and then the icons disappeared into a room for only those of the movie and the press. The main and two supporting actresses passed by with the supporting actors, as did the screenplay writer, music composer, and several guest stars.

Excited applause and cries of praise arose at the couple that appeared next.

"Hey, I don't remember seeing her," Terra commented, as the main actor whose arm the woman held lightly had his name announced.

Her name followed. Kriti Sanaa. The director. In addition, she was one of the cinematographers. None of the Titans had heard of her before, but the crowds seemed to love her work on the most recent film.

Pale plum-colored eye shadow, a shade lighter than her sparkling, jewel encrusted, floor length gown, was barely visible above dark glasses that concealed her eyes from all. Amethyst gems hung from pierced ears and gold chains around small wrists. A beige hat, plain in comparison, hid the hair—except for a few rebellious strands of naturally violet locks.

Knowing from experience that their shouts would not be heard above those of the multitude, the Titans tried vigorously to reach their friend before they lost sight of her.

The person they knew as Raven, and everyone else knew as Kriti Sanaa, calmly and confidently shook hands with her fellow staff that she passed as well as a few lucky reporters and fans, before entering the party.

By the time the Titans were able tofollow, she was nowhere to be found.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the extremely long wait, everyone. I worked very hard to finish my other story. Now that it is done, I can focus all my attention on this one. In other words, updates should be more frequent, with any luck. 

dancingirl3: Thank you for reviewing! I am glad you like my story.

Raven of the night 676: Thanks for the review! I will be sure to explain Raven's career change by the end of the story. I am sorry it is confusing.

VashTheStampede7123: Lol. I apologize for the wait you had to suffer through. I hope this chapter was somewhat worth it, at least.

this.is.stupid: I have noticed that as well. Raven is a smart girl, she could be doing more than wallowing, I think. Anyway, thank you for the review, I am happy you like my story. Sorry for the wait! And thank you for the non-fluff comment.

hey: Sorry I did not update sooner! Thank you very much for reviewing! You got your wish in this chapter. She escapes yet again. Thanks, again!

JMPchick: I apologize for the wait you had to endure for this chapter. Thank you for reviewing!

The Wings of a Raven: I am sorry you had to wait so long. I hope you are more pleased with the ending of this chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

Poopy Penguin: Yes, lol. Director is, too, I imagine. I apologize for the wait on this chapter. I will try hard to get the next chapter out much sooner.

Skye: Actually, Raven has awakened from her coma. These past three careers have been "real life" so to speak. Too confusing? There will be an explanation by the time the story ends.

Yaa: I am happy you like it. I am very sorry I took so long to post this chapter. Thank you for the review!

Tamurl: I am sorry I took so long to update. I hope you liked this chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

Wild Spirit Of Darkness2: You have a point. We shall just have to hope that no one saw her. Thanks for the review!

Hanita-chan: Sorry, but the little social life I have I would like to keep. I will work hard to update sooner. I am happy you like my story. Thanks for reviewing!

NevermoretheRaven: Thank you for the compliment. And thank you for the update on the cartoon. I hope she does not die. Anyway, I apologize sincerely for the wait, and I hope you continue to enjoy my story. Thanks, again!

Sparrowing: I am glad my story is keeping you entertained. Hopefully updates will not be this sparse in the future. Thanks very much for the review!

The Last: Thanks so much! I am glad you feel that the characters do not go too OOC, especially Raven. I am very touched that you were inspired by my story to write a one-shot/poem. It is beautifully written. I will try hard to update more often.

CD: Thank you, I will!

BlackShield: Thank you for being patient, and thanks very much for the review! I am glad you are pleased with my fiction.

KidFlashisHot: I know I did not update soon, for which I am sorry. I hope this chapter was at least somewhat worth the wait. Thank you for the review! I am glad you are enjoying my fiction.

Butterfly Girl Sarah: You will find out eventually. Thank you so much for the kind review. I will try very hard to update sooner this time.

storywriter10791: I am sorry I did not update sooner. I will try hard to do better. Thanks for reviewing!

Raven of The Shadows Azerath: May I ask why you did not like Raven's change in appearance? I respect your opinion, and I don't mind criticism, I am just curious. I am sorry I did not update sooner. Thank you for the review!

hoopla: I am sorry I have not updated sooner! Coming to the same temporary ending so many times must have become frustrating. I will try to update sooner. Thank you very much for the kind review! I am pleased you enjoy my story so much!


	9. Ruined and Remodeled

Nearly three weeks after the movie premier, the alarm sounded, bringing the five Titans at a run to see their newest threat.

"They look like…" Terra trailed off.

"Dude, are those really…" Beast Boy began.

"Ninjas," Robin confirmed. On the screen, four figures in tight black attire, complete with masks, were wreaking havoc in the local mall. Their weapons varied to include swords, daggers, stars, and staffs.

"Titans, go!" Robin ordered.

"But, Robin, I was just about to…"

"We can resume looking for Raven when we get back, BB," Robin interrupted authoritatively, though there was sympathetic understanding beneath the firm tone. "We need you're help right now. And the sooner we beat them, the sooner we can all get back to looking for Raven."

"Yeah. You're right," Beast Boy said, defeated.

"Let's go."

Once they arrived, Robin took is position in front of the group and addressed the assailants. "Stop terrorizing these people."

"Look," one addressed his fellows in a sarcastic tone. "The Teen Titans have come to stop us."

"More fun for us," a female commented. She then threw three metallic spheres at them.

"Titans, move!" Robin commanded.

The five jumped in different directions. Where they had stood now remained only a shallow crater, dust still lightly raining down.

Robin aimed a kick for the one who had first spoken, but the man easily avoided him. Turning, Robin tried to punch him. Every one of his blows was blocked, but Robin left no opening for the man to counterstrike.

The female ninja had tried to attack Terra when the bombs exploded, but had missed. The woman seemingly became absorbed with dodging the rocks Terra hurled at her. Terra did not see the silver flash from the woman's hand. Ninja stars sliced from her smallest finger to her elbow, leaving a deep cut in their wake, and embedded in the wall behind her. Her gloves dropped to the ground at her feet. Her sleeves dangled loosely, cut by the stars, from her elbows. She tried her best not to move her arms, because of the pain doing so caused. Terra was on the defensive, as the woman, now armed with a long sword, moved forward to strike.

Beast Boy and Cyborg simultaneously attacked one of the other ninjas, a female. As Beast Boy charged at her in many different animal forms, Cyborg fired his sonic cannon. She merely dodged, making no effort to strike either of them.

"Dude, what is _with_ her?" Beast Boy demanded as he stood, panting softly, near Cyborg.

"I've no idea."

As if from nowhere, she suddenly pulled out a thin rectangle of wood. The two Titans looked on, confused but wary. With a snap, she revealed to them a fan, beautifully decorated.

"You've got to be kidding me," Cyborg mumbled. "She's going to beat us with that?"

With surprising speed, she charged at them. Both Titans vaulted backwards to avoid her, and she aimed for the changeling. A swipe of her fan left behind a long, thin rip along his calf from which the red of blood began to well. Beast Boy's leg gave under him, and he fell to the ground, clutching it in pain. Before the woman could deal another blow, Cyborg fired his cannon, forcing her to retreat slightly. Moving to stand protectively in front of Beast Boy, Cyborg noticed the shine of metal at each fold in patterned fan.

Starfire was deftly evading a ninja with a pair of three-pronged daggers. He was just as nimbly avoiding her starbolts. Starfire saw the glint of silver that was the ninja stars embedded in the wall. And she saw Terra barely eluding the sword of the female. And she saw that Terra's arms wet with her own blood.

"Friend Terra!" Starfire tried to go to her companion, only to have her attacker take advantage of the distraction. He lunged, and she again tried to elude him. A few of her hairs fell, severed, to the ground. He just as suddenly backed away. Confused, she watched him out of the corner of her eye as she started to move toward Terra.

"Starfire!"

Then Starfire saw the reason for her attacker's retreat. She tried to flee as well, but was still caught in the blast of the bomb. She was hurled into a fountain. Her shoulder caught on the stone of the statue, ripping part of her uniform and scraping roughly at the skin. Her head hit the concrete ledge, leaving her unconscious, while the rest of her body landed in the shallow water.

Robin had tried to warn Starfire, but he had been too late. In an attempt to help his friends, Robin threw a hard punch at the ninja he was in battle with, then tried to withdraw.

A staff appeared in the man's hands. He drove it down on the end of Robin's cape, halting the Boy Wonder's progress, then jumped and kicked at his head.

With the sound of tearing fabric, Robin was thrown roughly into a wall. While trying to stand, the staff connected with his side, bruising, if not breaking, a rib. Another hit to the back of the neck left Robin senseless.

The woman fighting Terra managed to bring the hilt of her sword in the same place, and Terra fell to the ground.

"I'm bored with this," she declared, standing over Terra's inanimate form. She sidestepped a shot from Cyborg's cannon.

"I agree," stated the other female, closing her fan decisively. "We have what we came for."

"Why don't we just finish them now?" asked the man who had not spoken before.

"We know they cannot defeat us, should they try to stop us again," the first male said. "Let's go."

Cyborg lowered his cannon as they four mysterious figures disappeared. The Teen Titans were no longer considered a threat to the evil they faced. Looking at his injured friends, he again silently wished Raven was with them. Terra came to, and was able to bring the beaten Titans back to the Tower, where Cyborg treated their wounds.

The Titans gathered around the large television screen, recovering from their skirmish. Beast Boy, Starfire, and Robin's bandages were hidden beneath their uniforms, but Terra's were visible, bandaged from wrist to elbow. Starfire whimpered, looking at her torn uniform. Terra, Beast Boy, and Robin grimaced at their own ragged clothing.

"I'll call Bruce," Robin declared. "Maybe he'll know of a place to get better uniforms."

When he returned, he told them, "He says he knows of a designer who could improve our uniforms. We need to send Bruce a set of each of ours, and he'll make sure they take priority."

So they did. Less than a week later, Bruce invited them to his mansion to retrieve their new outfits. He refused to explain why he would not simply have the costumes delivered.

When they arrived, Alfred escorted them to a back room, where Bruce sat in a comfortable-looking chair waiting for them.

"Welcome. Have a seat." They each took an empty chair.

"Where are our uniforms?" Terra inquired.

Bruce pointed. They were in a large case, surrounded by thick glass, as if for display. "This is what I wanted to show you." He pressed a button. Flames burst forth momentarily from the ceiling inside the container. Once the fire died, the new, as-of-yet unworn, uniforms looked black. Bruce pressed another button, opening the front glass barrier. He stood and approached Robin's outfit, and ran a finger along the cloth. It came away black, and revealed the bright color underneath, undestroyed.

"Now," he said, to the Titans, who sat in shocked silence. "My understanding is that they are not completely fireproof. They cannot withstand a long period of time under much fire, but it will under a brief period of fire, as you just saw. There is also the fact that your uniforms do not always cover your entire body to consider."

"Can they do anything else?" Robin asked, impressed.

"Yes, but first, let's wipe these off." Bruce handed each of them a cloth to clean their uniforms with. Then he approached Beast Boy's outfit. "The material—I'm still uncertain about what it is, exactly—stretches," he demonstrated its elasticity, "but is extremely durable."

"How strong is it?"

"That's what I am going to show you now. Alfred," he called. The butler came in, wearing safety goggles and earplugs. In his hand, he held a shotgun. Once inside the case, Bruce closed the glass door with a push of the button. The Titans watched as he fired one shot at each uniform, only to have the bullet drop to the floor without puncturing the clothing.

"Wow."

"Impressive, isn't it," Bruce said. "I'm told that the range from which Alfred fired is the closest the shooter can be, but it's much better than nothing, I think." He opened the door for Alfred to exit. "Thank you, Alfred."

"Next—"

"There's more?" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Yes. Most liquids cannot penetrate it, either. Water or chemicals. It does not, however, allow much heat to be held in. Your skin can breathe through it, so to speak, so you will not become overheated. I encourage you to try your own weapons out on them."

After a moment of hesitation, Cyborg discharged his sonic cannon. Nothing. The same result from Starfire's attack. Beast Boy tried to bite the material in different animal forms, but it stretched to meet him. Robin tried using a bird-a-rang. He succeeded in the slightest of tears, but only when he stood directly next to the costume.

"That's amazing," Terra commented, awe in her voice. "Who made these?"

"I'm not really sure," Bruce replied. "She's new. Must be, because none of us had ever heard of her before this month. Wonder Woman recommended her to me. Not much is known about her, very mysterious girl."

"New..."

"Mysterious…"

"Girl?"

"Yes. She's called Crescent Shrijani. She reminded me quite a lot of your friend Raven, actually." When the faces of the Titan's fell, he added, "Still not having much luck? I'm sorry."

"Wait, you said she reminded you of Raven? Did you meet her?" Terra questioned.

"No. I researched her before contacting her about making my, and then your, uniform. After all, we can't trust just anybody. I did not find much information—as I said, she is enigmatic."

"Is that all that reminded you of Raven?" Robin asked.

"No. I found a picture of her during my search." They followed him as he approached a large computer screen. After punching a few keys, a photo appeared. The Titans stared. They could understand how Bruce could mistake her for not being Raven. He did not know her like they did.

But the photo was of their teammate, Raven. Her purple hair was streaked with green, and hung loose just below her shoulders. She was not looking at whoever took the photo, but at whatever task she was currently working on; it was probably a candid shot. But they could still see that her eyes were a purplish blue, as if she had tried to hide her violet irises beneath too-thin blue contacts, though anyone else would think the opposite.

With great hope, and with the help of Crescent's other clients, the Titans tried to discover her whereabouts of Raven. But she was nowhere to be found. Apparently, the Titans' uniforms had been her last project. She was gone, again.

* * *

Starfiresucks: Thank you for the review, and welcome to Most of my ideas just suddenly enter my head, but everyone is different. I would be happy to help you in any way I can. Just let me know how I can assist you. E-mail me personally, if you like. 

Raven of the night 676: No, some people just had some aspect that made the Titans at first think the person was Raven. But upon closer inspection, they discovered they were sorely mistaken. I take no offense. If you have a question or are confused, please ask. I am glad you liked the chapter. Several more are certain to come before the end. Thanks for the review!

Defafaeth Mechqua: Yes, you are right. I forgot to take into account how long movies tend to take to make. However, I did not want the Titans to have to wait for so long before seeing Raven again. They might think her dead otherwise, no? Also, her jobs are separate. She does not hold more than one at once. Anyway, thank you very much for reviewing!

DarkSin: Thanks so much! I'm happy you think so!

The Last: You are very welcome. I am glad you liked my description of her dress. Thank you very much for the review!

EvilYellowCrayon: Lol. I am pleased you are enjoying my story. Thanks for the review!

Sparrowing: Thank you! I am glad you liked the last chapter. I did read your story. You are an amazing writer, and your attention to detail is magnificent. You should continue with it. Good luck with your writing, moving, and life.

Zicora: Thank you very much! I am glad you are pleased with Raven's career choices thus far.

outthere101: Thanks! I will try to make sure there continues to be more for you to see.

papersak: Lol. You shall find out eventually. Thank you for reviewing!

cd lover: Lol. Thank you! I was extremely surprised when you mentioned Raven being a doctor, because I had already been planning for Raven to have a medical occupation at some point. Anyway, I will update when I can.

V-Gin: I am glad you like the story so far. I hope it continues to meet with you approval. Thanks for the review!

Darkofthenight: Thank you so much! I am glad you are so happy with it. I will update when I can.

BlackShield: Thank you! I am glad you are still enjoying my fiction. And, yes, there is much more to come.

DelofDani: Shhhh, don't tell anyone. Lol. Yes, I thought about that, but I am not going to allow the others get her back that easily. They are replacing her on the show? How cruel! Anyway, thanks so much for reviewing!

NevermoretheRaven: That is cruel! I hope she does not die. Thank you for informing me!


	10. Right and Righteous

A/N: Sorry for the wait, everyone! I altered my format a bit, by request; so let me know if you don't like it.

Disclaimer: I tried to be accurate with my portrayal of court system, but I'm certain it's not perfect. Also, the situation with Canada is purely fictional, though I did cite some real sources. I have nothing against Canada or Canadians; it just worked for my story. Enjoy!

_

* * *

_

_I wonder what they're doing now? Defending the city, most likely. Or maybe Beast Boy and Cyborg are arguing in the kitchen again, and Robin is training, and Terra is correcting Starfire on another Earth term. _

_XXXXX_

After several long months of silence, the Teen Titans had received a tip that Raven was near the Canadian border, in the state of Michigan. The information could not be confirmed, nor could it be denied. So the Titans hastened there as soon as arrangements could be made.

Not an hour had passed after they arrived in Detroit one early morning before a female scream alerted them to trouble, and their crime-fighting instincts brought them running to help.

A group of people surrounded a middle-aged woman rambling incoherently in a voice that was shrill with fear. The Titans saw no weapon, no wound, no marring of the woman except a tear-streaked face and hair tangled from worry.

Terra moved forward and made an effort to comfort the frantic lady. Finally comprehending that assistance had arrived, she calmed enough to tell her story.

Her child was missing. Aydan, a young boy, ten years old, had been there one moment, gone the next. The Titans questioned the bystanders who had remained, but none had seen anything.

They could do nothing more than advise the woman to file a missing persons report with the local police and promise to keep an eye out for her child.

After obtaining a description of the boy, the Titans split to search for any sign of Raven. Robin went to speak with the man who had given them the tip: an old, anonymous informant of Batman. Beast Boy headed to the northern part of the city, Cyborg to the eastern side, Starfire to the southern section, and Terra to the western area. They would reconvene that evening at a central point if no reason was found to assemble sooner.

_XXXXX_

Even as she spoke, she remembered her last job

_I had been about to walk out the door for the last time when I received the order: uniforms for the Teen Titans. I haven't seen them for so long, but it seems as if I'm always thinking of them. So I had made their costumes, and then left the business._

_I doubt I'll be doing this much longer, either._

_XXXXX_

The sun was reaching its peak in the sky when Terra stepped into a restaurant for some lunch. Her eyes never stopped scanning the crowd for Raven or anyone who might know her whereabouts. She grumbled about the bill, until she tasted the food. As she was finishing, she glanced out the large window beside her, which gave her a nice view of the main street. A small dog, tail wagging and tongue lolling, was tied to a fire hydrant. Its friendly eyes were bright with excitement as it tried to watch all the activity at once. A young girl, wearing a pink dress and her dirty blonde hair braided down her back, who was walking next to her mother, stopped to pet the dog. Terra smiled at the picture they made.

The mother turned her head, spoke quickly to her daughter, and then proceeded to enter the restaurant. Shortly after, a man in a trench coat appeared and began to untie the dog from the hydrant. Terra could not see his face. He said a few words to the girl, and she replied. Suddenly the man's gloved hand was gripping the girl's arm, and he began to lead her away.

Terra was out of her seat in an instant, running after them, trying to weave her way through the crowded street while not losing sight of the kidnapper. Too many civilians and cars swarmed about for her to call up her powers safely.

The man soon turned into an alleyway, and when Terra followed, all she found was the dog and trench coat.

Despairingly, Terra returned to the restaurant to inform the mother and encourage her to go to the police. Terra learned the girl, Leyna, had only just turned nine. As she resumed her search for Raven, Terra now was watching additionally for two missing children.

_XXXXX_

_I wonder what I'll do next. For some reason, I cannot find something that will take my mind off of them for a while. I hope they are all right…_

_XXXXX_

Beast Boy had transformed into a bloodhound, and was searching for Raven's scent. His green coat drew questioning and surprised looks from passersby, but he ignored them. The stares did not bother him, but his lack of success did.

Near noon, he was eyeing a hot dog stand across the busy street from behind a parked car. A giggle directly behind him caused him to jump and whirl around. A boy no older than six with muddled orange hair was smiling at him, showing gapped front teeth. "Funny doggy."

Beast Boy waved his tail. Noting his clothes—small, dirty, and slightly torn—Beast Boy wondered if the boy was homeless. "Green doggy." The boy spoke. "Why 're you green, doggy?" Beast Boy barked, making the boy laugh again.

The changeling's ears perked up when the boy's stomach rumbled in hunger. The boy looked at the food stand that had caught Beast Boy's attention earlier. The dog sat, and then transformed into a sitting green teen. The boy's eyes widened and he started to run.

"Wait!" Beast Boy pleaded. The boy stopped, looking a bit frightened. "I won't hurt you. What's your name?"

"Jeffry."

"I'm Beast Boy. You can call me BB if you want." He held out his hand, and the boy cautiously approached and shook it. Beast Boy gave a disarming smile. "How about if I get us some lunch?" The boy's stomach moaned again, and Jeffry blushed. Beast Boy gave a small laugh. "I'll take that as a 'yes'. You wait here. I'll be right back."

The changeling doggedly dodged the slow-moving traffic and approached the booth. As he was receiving his change, his sensitive ears caught the sound of a muffled scream. Turning, Beast Boy saw Jeffry, and a man pulling him down a shadowy alley with a hand over the boy's mouth. Jeffry was struggling, but his efforts were futile.

Food forgotten, Beast Boy chased after them. They were not in the alley when he reached it. Running to the end, he could not spot them amongst the multitude of people on the connecting street. Turning, thinking that perhaps the man had pulled Jeffry into one of the buildings lining the alley, he discovered too many doors for him to guess which the kidnapper had entered. _If he has been taken into one of them at all_, he thought with another glance at the hectic street behind him.

"First Raven, now Jeffry. Who's next?" he demanded, his voice sounding tired and dejected.

_XXXXX_

She released a silent sigh. Raven turned her stoic face toward the jury.

_Focus, Raven. This is not a time to let your mind wander. After all, they have probably forgotten all about me by now._

_XXXXX_

Starfire had purchased a bottle of mustard and was sipping it from a straw as she hovered above her section of the city in search of Raven. The joyful exclamations of children caught her attention. Curious, she landed and approached the enthusiastic group of kids. A woman was handing out candy. Suddenly a sad look crossed the woman's face. "I'm all out of candy." The mood instantly saddened. "Oh! I think I may have some more in my car." A cheer went up. "Who wants to come with me to get more candy?" Several of the children swarmed around her, and she laughed. "All right. Let's go!" Starfire joined the group that followed the woman. The woman's eyes noted Starfire's presence, but she said nothing.

When they reached a battered, red, compact car, the woman retrieved her keys from her pocket. She opened the trunk and began searching for more candy. The children watched her restlessly. "You, in the purple outfit," she said after a moment, her eyes on Starfire.

"Are you speaking to me?" the alien girl asked.

"Yes, you. Would you look through this box and see if you can find any candy for the children?" the woman requested.

"I suppose I could."

As Starfire began rummaging for candy, she heard a door slide open, and soon after close again. Whirling around, she saw a plain white van pull out of its parking space behind the woman's car. Looking at the children, she saw that the group was noticeably smaller than it had been.

"Where are the others?" she asked of those remaining.

Fingers pointed at the retreating van. One said, "They said they had chocolate, but they didn't have room for all of us."

Starfire jumped into the air. "You young people run home, now," she told them firmly before flying after the white van. As she neared, she cried out, "You, stop! Release the young earth children!"

The driver, however, increased his speed slightly. Starfire tried to catch up to them. Unfortunately, she could not use her starbolts. She was nearing the driver, and he noticed. He began to move into the fast lane. They rounded a corner, and Starfire was suddenly forced to slow and gain height to avoid being hit by oncoming traffic.

Looking for the van, she located it just in time to watch it disappear into a tunnel. Flying to the other side, she waited for it to exit. A white van drove out of the tunnel, and Starfire started to fly after it, until she saw a second van leave the tunnel. Soon after, a third, then a fourth, white van came out of the tunnel as well. Starfire seemed to wilt. She had been unable to save the children.

_XXXXX_

Raven left the courthouse, doing her best to avoid the reporters she knew would be waiting to question her.

_What is it about tragedy that attracts the media?_ she wondered idly. Her mind began to drift to the reporters of Jump City. After they had defeated the latest villain—she halted her train of thought.

_XXXXX_

Cyborg was having no luck finding Raven. He continued systematically walking the streets of Detroit, but his doubt grew that, assuming she was even in the city, he would find her.

Dual cries brought him speedily to a park. Twin girls sat in fresh green grass, bawling over a doll whose head had become disconnected from its body. The cries stopped when the two children saw the shiny man approach them. He grinned to show he meant no harm, and picked up the doll and its decapitated head. When he looked at them, they pointed at each other in wordless accusation, staring up at him. Cyborg simply reconnected the head, and handed it back. They smiled, thanked him, and ran off to play.

He was about to return to his search when he saw a boy suddenly yanked off his feet by a mysterious character. Cyborg could not see the hijacker's face, and called out for him to drop the boy. The man simply took off at a run. Opening the cover on his arm, he alerted the police as he continued to pursue the kidnapper. Eventually Cyborg heard sirens behind him. One of the cars stopped and allowed him to get in, and they continued the chase through congested streets, barely keeping the man in their sights. Cyborg saw a body of water quickly coming into view.

"Oh, no," the driver next to Cyborg murmured as boy and captor entered a boat and began driving speedily across to the opposite shore. The car came to a halt where the road ended, and Cyborg was aware of the officer speaking rapidly into his radio.

A boat with wailing sirens was fast approaching the escaping criminal, only to cut its motor just short of reaching it, halfway across the river.

"What are you doing?" Cyborg demanded. "They almost had him!"

"He's in Canada now." The officer did not sound happy. "We don't have jurisdiction there."

Cyborg was crestfallen but remained silent.

_XXXXX_

_I won't ever forget them. I don't want to forget. But sometimes I really miss spending time with them. They are my friends._ She inwardly sighed. _But they don't need me anymore._

_XXXXX_

The five Titans reassembled, none with good news. Robin reported that the informant had no new information on Raven. After the others confirmed that they had not found their friend either, they shared their stories of the stolen children. Beast Boy spoke first, followed by Terra. As Starfire was speaking of her experience, Terra interrupted her.

"Tunnel?" the blonde repeated. Starfire nodded. "Probably the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. It wouldn't have mattered, Star. That tunnel goes to Canada. They have different laws over there. You couldn't've done anything even if you had caught them."

"Yeah, I learned that the hard way." Cyborg related his tale.

Robin's fist came down hard into his palm. "We have to do something about this." They all agreed.

They found a few children who volunteered to help, and with the consent of the local police, set a trap. In a frighteningly short amount of time, the trap was sprung, and a potential kidnapper was caught. In the hope of gaining immunity, the man revealed three other places that were targeted, and the kidnappers were apprehended.

Unfortunately, they were caught while on Canadian soil, and were revealed to be Canadian citizens.

Lamont & Son Law Firm sent its best lawyer.

Journalists swarmed the courthouse for the biggest case the city had seen in years. International politics was a formidable foe, but so was Justine Shepry.

The stool pigeon had eventually released the location he was to bring the children he stole to. By demand of the lawyer via her firm, the Teen Titans were sent to retrieve any children at the location and bring them to the courtroom ASAP.

"Why exactly is this trial so important?" Terra had asked the man who delivered the request, as confused as her fellow Titans.

"All four are Canadian citizens," he had replied. "And since you caught them while in Canada, they're probably going to try and get themselves back to Canada, where they might not be punished as harshly because the crime was committed here. Worse would be if they get the whole case thrown out because you technically aren't allowed to capture them, since you're American crime fighters.

"Don't worry," he had told them. "Justine hasn't been around long, but she's really good. I hear she's only worried about one of them getting off—Mr. Odil. He's somehow related to someone important in Canada. The other three are apparently in the bag. The one who told us where to find the children, a Mr. Yvon, is going to want to make a deal for the information given."

"I hope he doesn't get away with what he did," Beast Boy had commented.

The man had grinned. "Don't worry," he had repeated. "Justine will make sure he pays. She's been working on bettering conditions for children since she started working here. There's no way she'll let someone get away with kidnapping."

As the Titans traveled into Canada, they anxiously listened through earpieces as the court was called to order and the suit began.

As the prosecutor spoke her opening remarks, the Titans could not help but think that the female voice sounded somewhat recognizable.

No witnesses were to be called and there was to be no jury. A judge was to rule.

"_Your Honor,"_ defense lawyer Brock Obadiah said confidently, _"My clients Mr. Gage and Mr. Egil wish avail themselves of the Canadian reinstitution provisions as they are Canadian citizens and were apprehended—illegally, I might add—on Canadian soil."_

"_What say you, Prosecutor?"_

"_Well, the prosecution would first like to point out, for the record, that Mr. Gage and Mr. Egil, as well as Mr. Odil, were apprehended on Canadian _waters_."_ Terra stifled a laugh, despite the seriousness of the situation.

"_So noted. Continue,"_ stated the judge.

"_The requested provision of Canada's Proceeds of Crime is not appropriate for this case. Not only are the defendants charged with the abduction of American children, but also their Canadian citizenship is next to irrelevant. Mr. Gage and Mr. Egil were born on American soil, and, as stated by the Fourteenth Amendment of our Constitution, are thereby citizens of the United States and subject to its laws. There is also no permissible and lawful renouncement of U.S. citizenship to date for either client."_

Cyborg's eyebrows rose. He no longer doubted they had a chance of seeing the four men pay for their crimes.

A pause, then the judge said clearly_, "Request of reinstitution for Mr. Gage and Mr. Egil is denied. Does either of the other defendants wish to apply for reinstitution on different grounds?"_

Silence reigned. _"Attorney Obadiah?"_

"_No, Your Honor,"_ the answer finally came_. "Mr. Yvon does request immunity, however. He has given much information to the city's law enforcement and has been relatively cooperative, at risk to himself. He has a deal with the local law enforcement."_

Beast Boy tensed, hoping the man would get what he deserved.

"_Arguments, Prosecutor?"_

"_Yes, Your Honor. My understanding is that promises were made or discussed only by word of mouth. Mr. Yvon signed no contract for exemption. Therefore, immunity was not guaranteed beforehand and should not be granted now. Mr. Yvon is just as guilty as the other three defendants and should be punished just as equally for his crime. In either instance, previous cases such as _Dellmuth v. Muth_ and _Pennsylvania v. Union Gas Co_. have found questioning the Eleventh Amendment and revoking immunity necessary, as I believe, if the immunity agreement is ruled to be valid, will be the case on this occasion."_

"_Immunity denied. Defendant may appeal at another court date if he believes he has sufficient evidence."_

Robin's eyes widened behind his mask. She was good.

"_Your Honor, Mr. Odil is the son of a prominent businessman and rising politician in Canada. He should be granted diplomatic immunity."_

The judge had barely granted the prosecution leave to speak before Justice Shepry spoke. _"We have evidence that Mr. Odil, is, in actuality, illegitimate. We await only the results of a final DNA test or the signature of Mr. Odil's father for official confirmation. Even if he is granted immunity now, it will be revoked before he could cross the border."_

"_I order that Mr. Odil remain in custody of the U.S. until legitimacy can be confirmed or denied."_

The Titans breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"_Very well, Your Honor,"_ the opposing attorney's voice was as cold and hard as ice, now lacking its former confidence_. "The defense moves that the case be dismissed."_

"_On what grounds?"_ demanded the judge.

The Titans arrived to find several children locked in a cramped, cold room. They were disheveled and frightened, but otherwise unharmed. Aydan was among them, matching his mother's description, as was the boy Cyborg had seen taken, and Jeffry. Leyna, however, was not.

No other persons could be found in the facility to be held responsible, so the Titans rushed the children back to Detroit.

Meanwhile, they listened as the tribunal continued. _"With the exception of Mr. Yvon, my clients were detained while in Canada by people who do not even possess law enforcement privileges in Detroit, let alone international law enforcement rights."_

Starfire gasped. She did not understand much of what was being said, but she knew what had just been requested was not good, and what the man said was true.

"_Prosecutor?"_ A hit of interest could be detected in the judge's voice.

"_I do not deny that statement. In fact, I confirm it. However, Canada has been lax in its border law enforcement. Canadian agencies including the Department of the Solicitor General, RCMP, CSIS, CSC, CISC, DFAIT, CIC, CCRA, and Justice Canada, are all supposedly cooperating with United States agencies on the Cross-Border Crime Forum to stop border crime. But occurrences of missing children in the U.S. have been occurring for months, most prominently in crowded cities near the Canadian border, and little to no effort has been exerted by the aforementioned bureaus to aid the U.S., which is in violation of the asset-sharing agreement which has been in place for over a decade."_

The Teen Titans arrived with the group of dirty children as the defense made an attempt to retaliate. Removing their earpieces, they ushered the children silently to seats in the back of the crowded room.

A black-haired woman smiled at them and began reading off a sheet of paper. "Families are missing children, and children are being kidnapped and mistreated for an unknown purpose. By bringing the four defendants to justice, the United States will be sending a message to whoever is responsible for and participating in these cruel acts. We will not stand for our children and our future being stolen from us. And if the Canadian government is not going to help us, then we must help ourselves."

Many of the reporters and the few spectators who been allowed in to watch gave supportive shouts, to be immediately called to order by the judge as he banged his gavel.

"A very bold statement. Canada's loyalty is not to be called into question at this time." A pause followed, as well as an almost unnoticeable glance at the children at the back of the room. "That said, I rule that the case will not be dismissed. All defendants shall be tried individually under United States federal law at a later date, with the pending exception of Mr. Odil. Court adjourned."

The courtroom erupted in cheers, which included the Titans once the happenings had been explained to Starfire. The Titans approached the prosecutor's desk, who was finishing stacking papers into her briefcase.

"Hello, we're the Teen Titans," Robin said, then proceeded to give each member's name.

She smiled. "Yes, I know who you are. You're the ones who caught the four men and brought the children back." Her voice sounded different than the one they had heard through the earpieces. They shrugged it off to the distortion that can be caused during transmissions.

"We just wanted to congratulate and thank you. You did a great job," Terra said.

"Oh, I didn't do that much."

"No, you really did, you were amazing!" Beast Boy insisted.

"Yes, Madame Justine Shepry, you were truly magnificent!" Starfire added.

She laughed slightly. "I'm not Justine. I'm her assistant attorney. I'm honored you thought I could be her, though. I just read the closing remarks she left for me."

"What?" Cyborg demanded.

"She left when the defense was making its final arguments in order to make arrangements for the children—get them fed, checked by doctors, and return them to their families. She really is a genius, having them brought in in such a miserable state, the poor things, really helped, I believe. Anyway, she also wanted to ensure that further measures would be taken to find other stolen children and make sure something like this doesn't happen again."

"Is there any way we can meet her?" Robin asked.

"I don't know. She's been hinting at resigning for some time now. I believe this was her last case. She never did like publicity," she said, almost as an afterthought. "I'm sorry I can't help you more."

Robin gave a forced, reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. Thanks, anyway."

The Titans then left to escort the weary children from the excitement of the courthouse.

Suddenly Jeffry broke away from his place next to Beast Boy. "Hey, Jeffry! Dude, where're you going?" Beast Boy started to go after the boy who was agilely weaving amongst the reporters trying to speak with the defendants, their lawyer, the judge, and the Justine Shepry's assistant.

"Raven!" Jeffry cried.

A woman with tightly braided brown hair carrying a dark briefcase turned brown eyes to the running boy who proceeded to jump into her arms.

"I told you not to call me that," she scolded gently, in a voice that sounded unquestionably familiar and similar to the distortion the Titans had heard through their headsets.

"Sorry, Justine," Jeffry admonished.

At the name of the winning prosecutor, dozens of reporters rushed to surround her. Lips pressed tightly closed, she set the boy down, and after laying an affectionate hand on his head, she disappeared into a waiting vehicle, which proceeded to drive away. All before the Titans had the chance to even call out to their friend.

Jeffry returned to a stunned Beast Boy. "You never told me Justine Shepry was Raven," Beast Boy said, shock still evident in his voice.

Jeffry looked confused. "You never asked. Does it matter?"

"Do you know where she went?" Robin inquired. Jeffry shook his head.

Questioning the boy further, the Titans learned that Raven's work as a lawyer had been primarily to find homes for orphans like Jeffry, improve the conditions of orphanages, and make sure the children were treated well, no matter where they lived. Jeffry had some way or another become a favorite of Raven's, and she had shared her real name with him, which he had been much more fond of than Justine Shepry.

The Titans began to wonder if Raven was avoiding them, or if, perhaps, amongst the lights, cameras, and persistence of the news crews, she had simply not seen them. No matter the reason, Raven had again been so close, but they had been unable to reach her before she disappeared yet again.

* * *

A/N #2: You're probably sick of these. Anyway, I just wanted to comment on the link between last chapter and _The Incredibles_. Yes, I did take that concept, however, there has been research into bulletproof clothing by weaving spider webbing in the right way, which I found interesting. Anyway, just in case you were curious. And those of you who caught the similarities: congrats! 

dancingirl3: Sorry I took so long!

Endoh Chiaki: I hear they are replacing Raven. Don't worry about not reviewing. I'm sorry for not updating sooner. Thanks for your support!

The Last: More, but not soon, I'm afraid. Sorry about that. This was a hard chapter to write, but at least it's long. I'm glad you're not getting tired of the consistent hit-and-miss. I hope you can stand it a bit longer. Thanks for reviewing!

cd lover: What do you think of her latest job? I hope it does not become too repetitive for you. Thanks for the review!

The Wings of a Raven: Not quite. I'm not going to let them catch up with her that easily. Maybe I'm just evil… Anyhow, thank you for reviewing!

Raven of the Night 676: I am planning on three or four more occupations, but if my readers get tired of it, I'll end it sooner. Thanks for reviewing!

VashTheStampede7123: I am glad you think so highly of my story. Thank you! Plenty more to come! Sorry the pace is so slow, though. And don't worry about not reviewing last time. Thanks for reviewing!

maximite: Sorry I took so long. I hope this chapter met with your expectations! Thanks for the reviews!

Sparrowing: I apologize for not updating sooner. Sounds like you're very busy. Thank you for reviewing! And good luck with your writing as well!

GS Dragono: Thanks for the review! And if you're talking about the scene just before the Titans wake up and find Raven gone, then, no, that did not actually happen. A dream resulting from the chemicals she inhaled, if you will. Hope everything makes sense now. Sorry I took so long!

fan: What did you think of this chapter? Is it somewhat like you had in mind? Did it help explain things a bit? I hope you liked it. Thanks for the review!

DelofDani: Was this chapter better? I'll try and keep your suggestions in mind as I write the next chapter. Thank you for the ideas!

Darkofthenight: No romance. I'm not a good romance writer. I'm pleased you like my story. Sorry I took so long to update. And thank you for the review!

RavenRulzRF: Sorry I did not update sooner! It's a longer chapter, though! If my readers don't get bored with the repetitiveness, there will be a few more chapters before they catch Raven. Thanks for reviewing!

Zicora: Thank you very much! I'm happy you like my story. Sorry I made you wait so long! The ninjas should tie in later. Thanks for the review!

Secretly Dark: I was hoping to add a few more chapters before allowing the Titans to find Raven. But I understand that some people are getting restless, so I may make it sooner. I'm glad you like my story. Thanks so much for reviewing!

BlackShield: Lol. I'm glad you enjoy the story so far. This chapter is a bit different. I hope you still like it. Thank you so much for reviewing!

moo: I'm sorry I took so long to update. I hope the wait was at least partially worth it! Thank you very much for the review!

outhere101: Good question. Lol. Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like my story!

NevermoretheRaven: Good intuition. And I'll keep my fingers crossed about the show. I'm sorry I took so long to get this chapter out. I hope you like it! Thanks for your review!

Sinistra250: Yes, she is! Sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter. I hope you like it. Thank you for reviewing!

otakualways: I'm glad you like her different jobs. I hope it isn't getting too repetitive. Thank you for the review and sorry about the wait!

mauled by squirrels: Thank you very much, I'm glad you think so! Sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter. I hope you like it!

Sarah1281: To answer your ninja question, all of the above. As for Raven's jobs, I partially mentioned why in this chapter, and will probably say something about it again in a later chapter. I am sorry you had to wait so long. I hope this chapter is at least somewhat worth the wait. Thank you very much for the review!

JMPchick: Thanks very much! I'm happy you think so. I apologize for the wait!

raven x bb: Sorry I took so long to update! They'll find her eventually. I am hoping to go a few more chapters of missing her, but I'm not sure if all of my readers are happy with waiting that long. We'll see. Thanks for the review!


	11. Remedy to Recover

Two weeks later, the Titans returned home. They had scoured Detroit, then nearby cities and states, searching for Raven, but to no avail. Batman's informant had no new information either.

Just as they walked through the door of the Tower, the alarm sounded. They raced to the monitor, Robin in the lead.

"It's the ninjas again," their leader stated.

"The evil people in the black clothes who were able to overcome us?" Starfire asked.

"We'll get 'em this time," Beast Boy declared.

"Where are they?" Terra inquired.

"A warehouse a few miles outside Jump City," Robin replied.

"What's in the warehouse?" Cyborg questioned.

"We'll have to find out when we get there," Robin said. "We don't have time to check now. Titans, go!"

The girls and Beast Boy took to the air, Robin jumped on his bike, and Cyborg got into his car, and the Titans sped toward their destination.

As they neared, Cyborg spoke over their communicators. "Uh, guys, I found out what's in the warehouse…"

"Great work, Cyborg. What is it?" Robin asked.

"It's a weapons warehouse."

Terra murmured something beneath her breath that sounded like "Figures."

"Be extra careful everyone," Robin cautioned.

"I'll contact the local authorities for backup," Cyborg said. No one disapproved.

They arrived to find a group of the black-clad ninjas loading wood crates into a van and several guards lying immobile on the ground.

"We were wondering if you were going to show up," one of the mysterious fighters commented.

"Too bad we can't take the time to fight you right now," another said as he removed something from one of the boxes.

"You'd better make time," Robin said. "Titans, let's get them!" The five charged at the gathering of ten ninjas.

Terra finally realized what was in the man's hand when she saw him removed the pin. "It's a grenade! Get out of the way!"

Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg instantly followed her lead and separated.

"What?" Starfire asked confusedly. "What's a grenade?"

"Star! Move!" Robin cried as the ninja threw his explosive at the puzzled alien girl.

Terra hurled a rock to meet the bomb, but Starfire was still caught in the blast. Her friends rushed over to her to find her unconscious and badly burned, but alive.

"She doesn't look good. We need to get her to a hospital," Cyborg said.

Robin opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Beast Boy's cry. "Look out! They're still attacking!"

Cyborg gathered up Starfire and the five dove out of the way of a barrage of attacks. Outnumbered, the Titans fell one by one. Terra, occupied with dodging small bombs, did not see the nun chucks spinning through the air. She was knocked off of her boulder, and landed poorly, twisting her ankle. A nearby explosion sent her flying, and rendered her in the same state as Starfire. Robin tried to attack, but was easily surrounded and overcome. The hilt of a weapon was brought down painfully behind his elbow, effectively making the arm useless. Distracted by the sudden pain, he did not have time to move far enough away to prevent him from becoming another victim of the explosives. A deadly ninja star lodged agonizingly deep in Cyborg's shoulder, causing him to involuntarily drop Starfire. Something heavy hit him in the back of the head, and he remembered no more. Beast Boy evaded their foes for the longest by transforming into his pterodactyl form and remaining at high elevations except when attempting an attack. But once his fellow Titans had fallen, he, too, was defeated when he took two bullets in one wing and dropped heavily to the ground. Just before awareness left him, he heard the piercing wail of sirens.

_XXXXX_

As a woman in the white uniform of a nurse was leaving the building, the reverberation of a helicopter caught her attention. She had bleached pale-blonde hair tied back in a ponytail with bangs hanging free that framed her pale face. Her green eyes, which had an unusual tint of purple, watched as a helicopter landed on the roof. Not an unusual occurrence in itself, but the second helicopter that followed directly after it was extremely rare since the hospital was relatively small and considered not to be as technologically advanced as most.

She mentally shrugged. She had already informed the head nurse that she would not be returning, so the patients were no longer her responsibility. She loved helping others, but she secretly felt she should be able to do more. True, her patients always healed more quickly and more cleanly than those not seen by her, but she of course could not tell the doctors why that was.

"Salus!"

Raven turned at the call of her most recently adopted name: Salus Zhi.

A young assistant nurse ran up to her. "Please. Five just arrived by helicopter."

"I am no longer employed by the hospital."

"We know. But they're in serious condition."

"What are the injuries?" Raven found herself asking automatically.

Hope shone in the young woman's innocent blue eyes. "Two gunshot wounds, possible second-degree burns and broken bones, plus cuts and bruises."

"I have to be at the subway station in fifteen minutes," Salus stated monotonously as she began walking briskly back into the hospital. She had been planning to walk.

"I'll drive you myself," the girl said as she led the way.

The elevator doors opened on the intended level, and the two females rushed out.

"Ms. Zhi!" another voice called out. One of the on-duty doctors approached them. "We need you in surgery."

"I have already resigned, I am merely going to check on the new arrivals," Salus replied.

"The need for you is more urgent in surgery. The patient is loosing too much blood. Whatever it is that you do, if you don't do it, he probably will die."

"Get your car ready and meet me in front," Salus ordered the young nurse, who nodded and left.

Salus followed the doctor to the operating room where a man had been brought for a transplant. She performed another mysterious miracle, and left ten minutes later when the patient was stabilized and could survive the remainder of the procedure.

While Salus waited for the elevator, she thought guiltily about the five who had just arrived and who she did not have time to help. Because she would most likely never return to the hospital, she decided to attempt a feat she had not dared to try before for fear of how much of her power would be depleted. As the elevator chimed and the doors opened, Raven released a surge of healing power throughout the entire floor. She was left drained, but she highly doubted that she would need the power again soon. She arrived on time to catch the train, and traveled away with a free conscience.

_XXXXX_

Cyborg blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling above him. He slowly sat up on the foreign bed and looked around to find himself in a hospital room. Memory returned to him, and he looked around to see his fellow Titans behaving much like he was. He also noted several nurses and doctors gaping at them.

"What?" Beast Boy asked, bewildered. "What are guys staring at?"

"Good question," Robin stated. "But is everyone all right?"

The Titans nodded, then waited for Beast Boy's question to be answered.

"How did you…" one woman attempted, but lost her train of thought.

"How long were we out?" Terra inquired, noticing that her ankle did not cause her pain when she moved it, and she had no marks on her skin from the burns. Indeed, Starfire and Robin also showed no signs of having been burned, Beast Boy could not find any scars from the two bullets in his arm, and Cyborg saw no indication of where the deep gash in his arm had been.

"You've been here less than two hours," one finally answered.

The Titans mirrored the surprise of the hospital staff.

Suddenly a thought occurred to Beast Boy. "Do you think that maybe…"

"I didn't know she was that advanced in healing," Robin said. "But it must have been her."

"Is there a nurse or doctor here with purple hair and eyes?" Terra inquired with anticipation. "Maybe who goes by the name of 'Raven'?"

The staff shook their heads.

"Well," the young woman who spoke was intimidated by the expectant looks from the five, "Salus did look like her eyes had some purple in them, though they were green also. She's not here anymore," she added quickly, before she could be interrogated. "She got on a subway train about an hour ago. I don't know any more than that."

Raven had unknowingly saved them yet again. They had so much to thank her for. If possible, their resolve hardened further. They had to find her and let her know how much they wanted her back with them.

* * *

KidFlashisHot: Thank you very much! I am glad you like Raven's assortment of occupations. I hope the wait was not too long for you. 

The Wings of a Raven: Why not Canada? Lol. And no worries, they will meet soon! Sorry I did not update sooner. Thanks for reviewing!

otakualways: I am pleased you think so! I hope you like this chapter, too. Thank you for the review!

The Last: Lol. I know about that kind of humor. I updated in less than one month, though still not as soon as I had hoped to get the next chapter out. Yes, writer's block is part of the delay. However, today I had an idea for later in the story, so I worked hard to get this chapter out tonight. I think I will end up shortening the number of chapters until they find her, but I have not decided for certain yet. Thank you for reviewing!

Lexi The Writer: They will…eventually. Lol. Thanks for the review!

DelofDani: I hope the slight change made the chapter a bit less tedious. Not much longer. I am considering reducing the remaining number of chapters left before they find Raven. Thanks for reviewing!

fan: Yes, she is a genius, and my favorite character. Could you tell? I'm glad you like my story so much. I hope it continues to meet your expectations. Thank you for reviewing!

Sparrowing: Not quiet, but they will catch up to her eventually. And yes, the missing child will have significance in later chapters. I am glad you think I am doing well, and I hope you continue to think so. Thanks so much for the review!

JMPchick: Thank you for the kind review! I am pleased you enjoy my story so much. I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

donthaveascreenname: I hope you did not get in trouble. (I know I do for doing the same thing.) I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Thanks very much for the review!

moo: Thanks! I got this chapter out a bit sooner, yes? Thank you so much for reviewing!

Zicora: I have that memory problem as well. Yes, I'm sure if Raven knew the Titans were searching for her, she'd come back on her own. I am glad that chapter helped to clarify some things. Thanks for reviewing!

Raven of the Night676: Thank you, I am glad you liked it! I know it deviated quite a bit from my norm in some instances. And I may end up reducing the number of chapters until they find Raven, but nothing is definite yet. Thanks again!

Darkofthenight: I know I did not update too soon, but I hope the somewhat shorter wait was not too bad. I hope you liked this chapter. Thank you for reviewing!

dancingirl3: Thanks for the review! I am sorry to disappoint you, but I don't write romance. This is a non-pairing fiction.

animegoddess12345: Thank you very much! I am pleased you think so highly of my story. I hope it continues to meet with your expectations.

VashTheStampede7123: Thanks so much for another nice review! I am honored you like it so much! I hope the wait was not too long this time.

teenRAVENtitan: Not much longer, I think. I've yet to decide exactly how many more chapters until they meet. I am glad you enjoyed my story so much. Thanks for the review!

Neko 1392: That's okay. I'm tired, too. Lol. Thank you for reviewing!

GS Dragono: Yes, it did take some time. That you liked it makes the time worth it, though! Thanks so much for the review!


	12. Acquire and Reaquired

The doorbell rang.

Starfire rose from her seat on the couch. "I shall—"

"I got it!" Cyborg ran past his friends in a blur, wafting their hair into their faces.

"He's sure in a hurry," Terra commented, blowing her hair from her eyes with a huff.

"Yeah, I haven't seen him this excited since Raven left," Robin added.

"Dude, what's going on?" Beast Boy asked as Cyborg reappeared carrying a large box.

"The ultimate in computer technology is now ours!" Cyborg exclaimed in reply. "Man, I've waited a whole month for this."

"Why didn't you tell them you're a Teen Titan? You could've gotten it sooner," Robin inquired, curious.

"I _did_ tell them. That's why I got it a month after it came out. The wait list is at seven months already."

Terra whistled in awe.

"When did this happen?" Robin asked.

"I was looking through a magazine and saw an ad for a contest to hack into a new security system. For a week, no one could do it. Then some dude comes in from out of nowhere and does it in a snap! The judges were so impressed with the winner they gave the guy a contract to build a whole new system."

"The one you have there," Robin interrupted, pointing at the package.

Cyborg nodded. "I ordered it as soon as the release was announced."

"Let us know if it turns out as great as it's supposed to be," Robin said.

"And if it helps find Raven," Terra added.

Cyborg's mood lost some of its brightness. "Yeah, I don't know how, but I've been hoping it'll help find her, too." He left to install his new toy.

After nearly three hours of surprisingly quick installation and guidance with an easily understood manual, Cyborg was again sprinting down the hall.

"Guys," he panted, his windedness not entirely due to the run, "I think I found her. Raven." His voice rose in eagerness. "I know where to find Raven."

After a minute instant of shocked silence, all of the Titans were on their feet and Starfire was squealing with joy.

"Let's go, I'll drive."

As Cybrog sped down the city streets, the others finally calmed themselves enough to speak coherently.

"How'd you find her?" Robin spoke first.

"That system, man. It had everything, even a person search. It gave me an idea. I put in all of Raven's known aliases and they all had one thing in common." He shook his head in doubt. "You're not going to believe it."

"What?" the four pressed.

"They all had a library card at the same library." Ignoring the incredulous shouts, he continued, "And that library is about a forty minute drive from the Tower, just outside the border of Jump City."

"Forty minutes? I don't want to wait that long! What if she leaves again?" Terra said worriedly.

"Don't worry, we're going to make it in twenty. After all, I'm driving." He almost grinned at the mixture of fright and skepticism he saw in their faces. Twenty minutes later, only Starfire did not understand the argument that yellow did not mean 'speed up'.

Cyborg parked in front of a large building, almost ancient in appearance.

The group rushed inside and immediately approached the information desk. A woman with short, grey hair observed them over thin-framed glasses. When all five started to speak at once, the woman shushed them. "This is a library. Keep your voices down!" she scolded, though her voice remained quiet.

The Titans immediately ceased their noise, and Robin was silently elected to speak. "Sorry. We're looking for our friend Raven—"

"That lovely girl? She's not here today."

The Titans blinked, confused.

"Does she work here?" Terra asked.

"Oh, no. I offered, but apparently the life of a librarian never appealed to her. She's just spent a lot of time here. Passion for knowledge, that one."

"Do you have her address?" Robin inquired.

"Yes." Their faces brightened with anticipation. "It goes on record when a person registers for a library card. But I'm afraid that information is confidential." The group deflated visibly.

"Please!" Terra begged.

"Why is it so confidential?" Beast Boy asked.

"Usually it's not. But she asked for her address not to be given out to anyone. Girl likes her privacy, I think," she added as an afterthought.

Starfire suddenly started crying. "Will we never find friend Raven?" she sobbed quietly, remembering the rule of silence.

Terra wrapped an arm around the weeping alien girl, near tears herself.

"Come on, let's get going. We'll have to search around here. She can't be too far," Robin made an attempt to sound encouraging, but his disappointment was apparent.

They turned to leave, when the woman stopped them. "Wait. I suppose once won't hurt. Just a minute." She typed for a minute on her computer before writing quickly on a piece of paper and handing it to Starfire. "Now, go on. Go find your friend."

They needed no persuading, and were out the door and into the car in a flash.

"Good going, Star!" Beast Boy congratulated. "That waterworks show softened her up."

"I thought she might, as you say, 'soften up' if I showed the 'waterworks'," Starfire replied.

The four were silent a moment, then, "You did that on purpose?" they demanded.

"I wished to find friend Raven…was I wrong?"

"No, Star, that was genius!" Terra said, _though certainly unexpected_.

"We're here!" Cyborg chimed. They had arrived at a decent apartment complex several stories tall. "She's in 4056," he said, reading the paper.

Too impatient to wait for the elevator, they ran up the three flights of stairs and straight to Raven's door.

_XXXXX_

Raven was practicing with her powers, working at molding to her will. She was hovering a few feet from the ground in her old uniform, legs crossed, and was so deep in her concentration, she nearly fell when at the unexpected, rapid knocking at her door.

Wary, because she never had visitors at her apartment outside Jump City, Raven made all evidence of her magic disappear before approaching the door and cautiously opening it. She silently cursed the place for its lack of peepholes.

Immediately she was knocked to the floor. On instinct, she almost released her powers to defend herself. Until she recognized the choked up voices rambling in her ears and the colorful uniforms—of her design and make—as those of the Teen Titans.

Eventually, the two girls, who had been to ones to tackle her to the ground, allowed her to rise. She was shocked to see them, all five of them, at her door. If not for the violent greeting, she might not have believed they stood before her.

For a moment, silence reigned. Neither party knew where to begin.

"Raven, we're sorry," Terra finally started.

"Yeah, Rae. We never wanted you to leave," Cyborg stated.

"And we never meant to make you feel unwanted," Robin said.

"Or unappreciated," Beast Boy added.

"Friend Raven, we've all missed you greatly."

Raven was not certain why they had come. They did not need her. They had no reason… "That's nice of you to say, but—"

"No 'buts', Raven," Robin interrupted forcefully. "I know we treated you unfairly. I guess we were just surprised and excited to see Terra, and we got caught up in the moment, not that that's any excuse. We're all really sorry. You've helped us all so much…."

"Especially me," Starfire spoke. "You saved me," tears sprung to her eyes, "and you were harmed instead."

"And I want to apologize for snapping at you about not telling us when you were hurt," Robin added. "I was more shocked than angry that you had hidden your injury. I don't want to see any of my friends hurt."

"We were worried when we saw how you'd been trying to hold out without medical attention," Cyborg said.

"And then when you left…! Man, we looked everywhere," Beast Boy declared. "We were asking everyone we knew, but we couldn't find you."

"You…you were looking for me?" Raven asked. "For how long?"

"The whole time," Beast Boy said. "We were so close sometimes, too. At that airport…"

"And at the club," Terra spoke up.

"The movie premier," Cyborg said.

"Then with the uniforms," Robin reminisced.

"And Mishy-gan," Starfire added.

Raven's eyes were wide. They had been searching for her? And so diligently…

"Raven," Terra spoke quietly. "I owe you so much for bringing me back. I don't know how—and you don't have to tell me either. I'm just grateful. I certainly didn't want you to leave just because I was back. I wasn't trying to take your place. No one could. Please, come back."

"We want you to come back with us," Robin said firmly. "Rae, we're not the Teen Titans without you." He held out his hand in offering, her communicator resting in his palm.

Uncertain, her eyes darted around to meet the multicolored gazes. All of them were beseeching, hoping, begging. They really had searched faithfully for her. They really had missed her. They really did want her back.

Raven reach out and took her communicator back, Robin giving her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. Terra and Starfire again embraced Raven, though more gently. A small smile graced the dark girl's lips.

"Come on, Rae. Let's go home," Cyborg said affectionately.

She nodded, and the six walked out to the car together. Raven decided she could return to the apartment later to gather the few belongings she had acquired over the months, and return the library books.

"Okay, now I'm dying to ask. How did you get all of those jobs?" Beast Boy demanded as they drove at a more legal—and less stressful—pace back to the Tower.

"I read," she stated, as if the answer to his question was obvious. When her companions gave her various look of confusion at her vague reply, she continued. "When I left, I didn't know where to go or what to do. I—I didn't really want to leave, so I stayed near the city. I ended up in front of a library, so I went inside for shelter from the weather…and I figured I might as well read something. But I didn't know what to read, so I started at the beginning."

"Beginning?" Starfire repeated.

"With 'A'."

After a moment, Robin understood. "Aviation. You were a pilot first."

"But you changed jobs, like, every month," Terra objected. "How'd you read all of that?"

"A trick Malchoir taught me."

"Oh."

"So what job were you planning on next?"

"None. I was reading books on witchcraft. Some had ways for helping me control my powers," she smiled.

"Why'd you keep changing your job?"

Raven shoulders rose and fell in a small shrug. "None of them ever felt…right, I guess."

The car came to a stop. Titan Tower rose above them, the glass reflecting the light of the setting sun. Cyborg turned to look at Raven. "Welcome back, Rae."

* * *

A/N: I can't apologize enough, everyone. I'm so sorry! I had a ten-foot thick concrete wall of writer's block, I swear. My thanks to ShadyMinion, who handed me the sledgehammer. 

RBosaZ1: I am so sorry you had to wait so long. I hope the chapter was at least somewhat worth the wait. Thank you for reviewing. I really do appreciate it.

GS Dragono: Sorry I took so long! And, yes, I had been sorting through the legal information for a while. It was worth the time, though, I think. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Thank you very much for the review!

KidFlashisHot: I'm glad you're pleased with my story, especially with all of the delays. Thanks so much for reviewing!

animegoddess12345: Hello. I am sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue to enjoy the story, which is nearing its end now. Thank you for reviewing. And yes, I do like laffy taffy, though I haven't had any in months.

Raven of the Night676: What do you think of this chapter? I hope it answered your questions/worries. If you have any more, please ask. Thanks for the review, and I hope the wait was not too excruciating.

papersak: I hope you like this chapter, too, despite the lull between this one and the last. I really am sorry about that.

Dancingirl3: They met! What do you think about it? I had trouble with the reunion scene. I hope it was decent. Thank you for the review!

DelofDani: I decided that stressing my brain for another near encounter was only pointlessly postponing this chapter, though I had trouble writing this one as well. Sorry about the wait. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Thank you for your review!

NevermoretheRaven: I only recently saw Birthmark, I'm so behind on watching the show. As for making her an antagonist, did you mean in this story, or another? I am so sorry you had to wait so long! Thanks for reviewing!

mysti-eyed: You're one of my few reviewers who isn't tired of Raven's continual disappearing act, that I can ascertain, so I'll tell you a secret: they did not see her at all of her jobs. There are more surprises to come! Thank you for your kind review, I'm glad you like my story. I apologize for the seemingly endless delay.

Broken Outcast: Thank you very much! I am really touched you think so. I am just so sorry you have to suffer through such long intervals of no updates.

Darkness: I am glad you have enjoyed my story. However, I am afraid working through writer's block may have decreased the quality of this chapter. Thank you for the review!

moo: I feel special that you were mystified, in a sense, by the last chapter. I doubt this one is anywhere near was good, but I hope the torturous wait I put you through was somewhat worth it. Thank you very much for the review!

Khaleda: All of your reviews are very much appreciated. Thank you so much! Now, I think some of your questions were answered in previous chapters, but I'll try and respond to your other comments. As for her age, we don't really know, do we? Her past and heritage are so mysterious. She could probably change her 'legal' age as easily as she has been changing her identity. I'm glad you enjoy the non-romance and details such as her appearance. And there may be more ninja action in the future. I am touched you love my story so much. Thank you again for the kind reviews! And I am truly sorry about how long you had to wait for me to update.

otakualways: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like my story. I really am sorry for how long you had to wait for this installment!

Dark-Magic67: I apologize for not updating sooner. I really appreciate your review, though! I am really happy you like my story! I hope this chapter is not lacking.

Umbra Puella: I am very sorry about the wait! Well, they found her. What do you think? I'm still questioning the reunion, but I didn't want to postpone updating any longer. Thank you for the review!

Sparrowing: They retrieved Raven! I have reservations about the quality of this chapter, especially after how long you had to wait to read it. I am so sorry about that. Thank you for reviewing!

The Last (in disguise): Rather than torment you all with the wait, I decided to skip to them finding her. I question this chapter's quality, though. I hope it was okay. Thank you for reviewing!

YoshiVixen: I am glad you think so, but I was taking too long to write another chapter where she escapes yet again. I hope you don't mind. Thanks very much for reviewing, and I am so sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter!

haley: I am so sorry you had to wait for so long for this chapter! I'm really thankful for your review, and I'm glad you like my story. I hope this chapter did not lower your expectations. I had trouble with it.

RavenRulzRF: I am so sorry you had to wait so long! I hope you weren't sitting like that the entire time. Thank you for the review!

screennameless: Has the dragging ended? I hope this chapter was okay. I am particularly skeptical about the value of the last part. I apologize for the long delay. Thank you for reviewing!


	13. Reappearace and Retreat

The Titans ordered pizza, and were able to dissuade Starfire from making one of her celebratory creations in the kitchen. They talked late into the night. Raven's friends told of their search for her, which had begun to seem everlastingly fruitless. They would interrupt their own telling to ask Raven questions about her various occupations. But the hours wore on, and when Starfire fell asleep on Raven's shoulder, the Titans agreed to continue their storytelling at another time.

Raven walked down the familiar hallway, and when the door to her room slid open, she found everything untouched since she had last occupied it. A faint smile appeared on her face. Any lurking fears she had that they did not want her back finally dissipated.

At different times throughout the night, each of the five woke from the nightmare that Raven's return was but a dream, and raced to the dark girl's room only to be reassured by the peacefully sleeping form on the bed.

Raven woke the next morning to Beast Boy and Cyborg's normal argument about food. She smiled, thinking of how much she had missed the eccentricities of her friends. She rose from bed, showered and dressed before appearing before her friends in the main living area. The two were still grumbling.

As Raven went to make tea, Terra drifted to her side. "They're back to normal, now that you're back." At Raven's confused expression, Terra explained, "They were too worried while you were gone. None of us really acted like our usual selves. We're just glad you're back." She smiled and sat with Raven at the table.

Raven had just placed her empty mug in the sink when the alarm sounded. She followed the others to where Robin was already typing on a keyboard. "It's those ninjas again," he said solemnly. "They're at a museum this time."

"Ninjas?" Raven repeated.

"We'll explain on the way. We need to get moving," Robin spoke hastily. "Titans," he said, being sure to catch Raven's eye, "Go!"

During the short journey, Raven was briefed on the enemy they were about to face and promised a full explanation later.

Robin, Beast Boy and Cyborg looked worried, thinking on their past loses. Terra chided them, "Don't worry so much guys."

"Yes, friend Raven is with us now," Starfire added confidently.

Raven fought back a blush and tried to protest that she could not make much difference, but her fellow Titans would not hear her speak such.

"It's true," Terra said forcefully. The males did appear visibly more confident with Starfire's reminder.

Eight black-clad ninjas were pilfering priceless gems and jewelry when the Titans arrived, but several filled bags proved that they had already stolen from other exhibits.

"I see you gained a member. Won't make any difference," sneered one man who appeared to be in charge.

"We'll see," was all Robin said in reply. He whispered almost mischievously to Raven, "How about showing us a new trick you've learned?"

Raven gave a small smile and nodded. "Azerath Metrion Zinthos Haltev," she chanted. Her magic, more of a dark crimson than black and devoid of its white perimeter, seeped up from the floor to cover the doors and windows.

One of the ninjas warily approached the nearest door at the leader's order. He cautiously reached a hand to the knob, but the door did not budge in the slightest, even when the man tugged with his fully weight. Two other ninjas detached themselves from the group and moved to a separate door and window to try their luck, to no avail. Annoyed with their persistence despite obvious failure, Raven narrowed her eyes and the three yelped in pain and drew back, their gloves smoldering.

The leader growled, the first sign of apprehension ever displayed before the Titans. "Let's take care of them so we can get out of here. If necessary, kill the witch."

Three sprang for Raven while the remaining five each took on the others. Raven heard her friends cry out crossly at the unfair odds, but they could nothing. Raven, however, was able to hold her own.

She conjured silver armguards like those of medieval knights, but despite appearing semitransparent and being weightless, they were stronger than metal. Using her armor to block any advances that she could not dodge, Raven was able to use her powers on the offensive, though rarely. And she had to focus thoroughly on her own attackers, hoping her friends could fend off their own assailants.

Soon the ninjas seemed to again be defeating the Titans. An unseen metal spike on his opponent's heel punctured Robin's arm when he blocked a kick. Terra managed to knock down her foe, causing him to lose his weapon, only to have him take advantage of the fall to grab a broken piece of glass and stab her leg.

Upset at her friends' pain, Raven snarled and her eyes glowed fiercely white. The dark girl's new state made her rivals pause in their attacks. Her mind rapidly searched for the right spell. She had only just begun her study of Wicca, and was not certain she had one for what she needed to do. Suddenly, one came to mind.

"Azerath Metrion Zinthos Koncured!" Her black-outlined-white powers darted from her body in thick tendrils to wrap around the ninjas, holding them fast. As an afterthought, she flicked her fingers, causing her glowing powers to engulf their heads so they could not see or hear the Titans.

Beast Boy's mouth gaped open for a moment before he remembered his injured friends and rushed to aid them. Raven, glowing a faint white as she continued to use her powers to hold the ninjas, approached her friends. She stretched a hand out to hover above each wound. Murmuring words under her breath, the light around her hand changed to green, and the cuts healed before their eyes.

Raven smiled as her friends stood with awed looks and softly spoken words of thanks.

"What do you want to do with them?" Raven inquired, gesturing at the bound fighters.

Robin looked at the magic-covered figures. "I'm thinking we should let them go, and follow them."

"All of them?" Starfire asked, surprised.

"It'll look to suspicious if we let only one or two go," Robin replied.

"It'll look suspicious if we let _any _of them just walk away," Terra argued.

Raven looked thoughtful. "I haven an idea," she said quietly, in her monotone voice.

"Let's hear it," Beast Boy encouraged.

"They didn't see me heal you, and they don't know how long I can use my powers for," Raven began.

The others caught on.

"I don't know, Rae. Sounds dangerous," Cyborg protested.

"Do you have another idea?" He was silent. "It'll be fine," she reassured them. "Just play along."

Raven allowed her powers too waver, as if weakening. The magic around the captives began to deteriorate, and Raven fell to her knees, panting. The ninjas struggled to get free as her powers evaporated.

"Raven!" Her friends played their parts as worried and still injured.

The enchantment that kept the windows and doors closed had dissolved, and as soon as the ninjas were free, they all but fled in fear. "We'll get you next time. And we'll be ready for the witch," declared the leader before he, too, disappeared.

When they all had left, forgetting their plunder in their haste to get away, Raven stood nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened. "Shall we go after them now?"

The Titans silently followed behind the escaping ninjas, keeping enough distance between them to remain undetected.

"Dang, Raven! You had me half believing you really _were_ worn out by your powers!" Terra whispered as they ran.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "I did spend quite a bit of time around actors."

"Oh, right," Terra replied more quietly, slightly embarrassed. Raven gave her a small smile.

They arrived outside a tall brick building surrounded by a tall brick wall topped with barbed wire. The iron gate was locked behind the ninjas, who then entered inside the building. Trucks like the ones at the military base were parked near a loading dock.

"We need a way to find out what's going on in there without letting on who we are or what we're doing," Robin said.

"Can't we just bust in there?" Beast Boy asked. "We already know they're thieves. We could get the police to arrest them."

"No, there's more to this than meets the eye. We need to find out what."

"I agree," Terra added. "Everything they've done doesn't seem connected. A mall, a military warehouse, and then a museum."

"Except in attracting your attention," Raven spoke suddenly. They all turned to look at her, but she was eying the building.

"What are you thinking, Rae?" Cyborg asked.

"This building looks pretty old, doesn't it?" Raven questioned in response.

The others nodded, looking confused.

"Have you another plan, friend Raven?" Starifre inquired.

"I just might," she said quietly. Then, more loudly, "Let's go back to the Tower. I need to make a call or two."

* * *

The Last: As you can see, there is still more to come. Too many loose ends would have been existent if I had ended the story with the last chapter. And I updated sooner this time, lol. Thank you for your review and support! 

dancingirl3: Look, I did update much faster than last time. I am delighted that you like my story so much. Thank you for reviewing!  
DelofDani: I meant to e-mail you back, but I got so busy. I did join your site, and read your story. I look forward to reading more of it. Be sure that you keep writing as well.  
Broken Outcast: Thank you very much! I am glad you like my story. I hope this and future chapters please you as well.  
Umbra Puella: Thanks very much! I am happy you like my library idea. No need to worry, there is still more to come in this story. I hope you continue to enjoy it.  
Kai Phoenica: The end to this story as not arrived quite yet. Too many questions would be left unanswered. However, I did not want to end the last chapter with a cliffie. I am glad you approved of my writing. Thank you for the review!  
Robyn J.: There is no need to review every chapter, I am just pleased you like my story so much. Thanks very much! And yes, it's not the end quite yet.  
cd lover: Do not worry, it's not the end. A few more chapters, I think. I am glad you like my story so much. Thank you for the review!  
isa: Thank you! I am honored you like my story so much. I hope you like this chapter as well.  
Dark-Magic67: Thanks so much! I am glad you were pleased with the last chapter. I believe there are a few left before this story is finished. Thanks, again!  
YoshiVixen: Lol. I seem to have that effect on people, having them tolerate a character they previously despised, I mean. I am truly honored that you like my story, despite your character portrayal preference. Thank you very much for your review!

papersak: Nope, the end is approaching, but will not come for another few chapters, or so I am currently thinking. I did rather enjoy imagining the Titans' faces as Cyborg sped down the street. Thanks for reviewing!

otakualways: I hope I updated relatively quickly for you. Better than last time, at least, yes? I believe a few more chapters will come before the end. Thanks for the review!

Khaleda: Yes, about time they found her. I am glad you enjoyed the last chapter, and more are to come before the ending. Thank you for reviewing!  
teenRAVENtitan: Thank you, I am very glad you like my story. I hope you continue to enjoy it.  
Raven of the Night676: Your wish is my command. This story is to continue for a bit longer. Too many loose ends would be left hanging if I ended with the last chapter. Thank you so much for reviewing! Good luck with your sunburn. I hope you are feeling better.  
GS Dragono: This story is not ending quite yet, no need to fret. I am very happy you like my story so much. Thank you for the review!


	14. Recommended

After over an hour on the phone, Raven silently approached her fellow Titans, all of who were looking at the large television screen, but not watching it.

"I have an way in for us," she said in her usual monotonous voice. They all jumped as they were brought suddenly out of whatever thoughts they had been lost in, and turned to face her.

"Please explain, friend Raven," Starfire requested.

"Who'd you call?" Beast Boy inquired.

"I first called the NFPA—National Fire Protection Association," she explained when they looked confused, "to get more information on fire codes for buildings. Then I called the local fire department. I thought the building those ninjas are using had been abandoned for a long time, and I was right. Since it is now being occupied, it is a priority that it be inspected. The fire department usually does it, but I gave them a reputable reference, and so they are going to allow us to do it this once."

"Rae… I'm speechless!" Cyborg declared.

"Yeah, good work, Raven," Robin added with a smile. He paused. "Who was the reference?"

Raven gave an offhand shrug. "Lamont."

"Isn't that the guy you worked for when you were a lawyer?" Beast Boy questioned.

Raven nodded. "And his son," she said as an afterthought.

"When can we go?" Robin asked.

"Whenever you're ready. But we do need to stop at the fire station for ID badges, and they're going to let us borrow one of the department's cars."

"Wait. We're not forgettable. They know what we look like. We can't just walk in there and have them not be skeptical of who we are," Terra declared.

Raven nodded. "I thought of that, too. I _have_ changed my appearance quite often, recently. So I believe I have some experience in it."

"Oh, right." Terra gave a small laugh.

Raven continued, "I'm going to use a spell anyway. I just found one. It'll be quicker and easier to both put on and take off."

"Why can't we take my car?" Cyborg nearly whined.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "We're not going as the Teen Titans, remember?"

Cyborg sighed. "Yeah, yeah."

"All right, Titans. Are we ready?" Everyone nodded in affirmation. "Let's go. Cy, why don't you drive us to the station?" Robin said with a grin.

Once they arrived, Raven spoke briefly with the on-duty chief before telling her friends, "The car's ready for us. And I'll put the spell on now so they can take our pictures and make up the IDs."

"Who's driving?" Cyborg asked hopefully.

Raven smiled and tossed him the keys, which he caught deftly midair. "Now," she instructed, "hold still."

Raven closed her eyes, and lilac-colored magic seeped from her hands and surrounded all six Titans. Her friends stood immobile, as directed, and felt a tingling sensation overcome them. But they knew Raven would never harm them, so they were not worried in the least. After a few short moments, the feeling turned almost soothing, and they felt a tension they were unaware of having leave them.

Suddenly the magic was gone, and Rave opened her eyes to reveal plain brown irises. Her hair had also been turned brown and her skin had tanned to look more like Starfire's.

Robin lost is black hair for shorter blonde locks. His mask was gone to show brown eyes. His skin had darkened as well.

Cyborg looked like a human version of himself, but his skin was lighter and his eyes were a light blue.

Terra's blonde hair had turned ginger, and her eyes had altered to green.

Starfire's skin had also paled. Her long red hair was now black and hand shortened in length. Green irises changed to blue surrounded by normal white sclera.

Beast Boy's skin became as dark as Cyborg's usually was. His hair darkened to black, and his eyes became hazel as well.

They all wore the customary uniform of fire inspectors, which consisted of a white dress shirt and navy pants or skirt.

"Whoa," Beast Boy said as he surveyed his friends.

"If any of us use our powers, the spell will be broken for everyone," Raven warned. The others nodded in understanding.

They had their pictures taken in their new disguises and the identification cards were made and authorized as a top priority job. Each was handed a clipboard with the information they would need and forms that were to be filled out.

Cyborg drove them to the building where they were permitted to enter once they displayed their identification and stated their purpose.

"Why so many of you?" a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man asked suspiciously.

"A large building that has not been checked in years," Raven retorted in her tenebrous voice, "requires several assessors. And if you aren't cooperative, we will be certain to fine you the maximum for not informing us that the building is now in use."

The lack of emotion in her threat seemed to cause the man's behavior to sober noticeably. "What do you want us to do?"

"Continue as you normally would," Raven instructed. "I need you to fill out these forms, too," she added, handing him the documents.

"Of course, we'll do as you ask," the man replied.

Raven nodded and turned to her friends as the man left to inform his workers.

"Wow. Was that from hanging around those actors?" Terra asked.

"Partially. If you don't act confident at what you're doing, you won't fool them," Raven explained. "Anyway, according to the blueprint, there are four stories plus a basement. We need to split up to inspect each floor, the roof, the loading docks and the warehouse." She looked to Robin expectantly.

He nodded in understanding that, as leader, he should be the one to assign placements. Robin decided to take the top floor and the roof. Terra was ordered to the third floor, Beast Boy the second, and Starfire the first. Cyborg volunteered for the loading docks and storehouse. Raven stated that she did not mind searching the basement.

"Good luck, guys," Robin said before they all parted. "Be careful."

As they scrutinized the building, they could at times feel the eyes of hidden employees watching them carefully.

Raven was the first to find something strange.

The basement was filled with stacks of boxes and hidden items beneath dusty sheets. Either the cellar was not utilized very often, or, far more likely, it was made to appear that it went unused. She made notes as she moved throughout the large maze-like underground room. She followed the walls and came across a barely visible crack in the wall. Too straight to be the result of an earthquake, she followed it with her eyes and noticed it formed the outline of a large doorway. She had bent down and begun to run her fingers along the rift when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around to see one of the workers.

"Can I help you?" Raven asked.

"Did you find something interesting?" the woman asked, her voice as monotonous as Raven's.

Raven did not hesitate. "This junction box is not covered, as required. And there are exposed wires." Raven indicated the wires in the box next to her on the wall. The woman looked slightly uncertain of herself. "Was there something else?" Raven inquired innocently. The lady hesitated only a moment before shaking her head. "Then if you don't mind, I'm almost finished down here, and we'll give a full report of what needs to be fixed."

Finally, the woman nodded and left without another word.

Cyborg was nearly caught stealing a look at a newly arrived shipment in the warehouse. He barely had time to realize he was looking at the bombs they had been attacked with previously before a thick voice behind him demanded, "What are you doing?"

Cyborg's mind raced. Remembering Raven's words, he said assertively, "Not that it's any of your business right now, but I was checking this pile of crates. It's blocking the fire exit." He pointed at the door.

The large man grunted and left. Cyborg silently released a breath he had not realized he was holding.

Robin became mistrustful of a framed painting that appeared to be out of place on the wall. He had not seen another piece of artwork anywhere else. He glanced around, and, seeing no one, he carefully removed it. Behind the painting, he encountered a combination lock and handle on the thick metal door of a safe set into the wall.

As he was replacing the picture, Robin heard footsteps nearing his location. While he was trying to straighten it, the person rounded the corner and called out, "You! What do you think you're doing?"

Robin scanned the wall to either side of him before turning to see a man eyeing him warily. Keeping Raven's remark about confidence in mind, Robin stated, "There should be a fire extinguisher here. Those two," he pointed to two farther some distance away to either side of them, "are too far away to meet the standards."

After a moment, and with barely-contained reluctance, the man nodded and turned away.

Robin wiped his brow in relief and glanced thankfully at the marks on the wall that suggested a fire extinguisher had once been mounted there.

Terra was not as lucky as his friends. She was too tempted by the computer in one of the currently unoccupied offices she found. Someone had left it logged in, which probably meant that the person would be returning soon. But thinking about all the information the machine could be hoarding made the opportunity too great to pass up. She began to explore the numerous files but was disappointed to find them coded. Others required additional passwords to access.

Searching the desk, she found a blank disk and began copying as much of the data as she could.

Only a few moments later, however, the blonde man Raven had spoken with earlier entered the room. "I knew you were fakes!" As Terra grabbed for the disk, he reached for the switches next to him and flipped one up. No sound or lights followed, but suddenly the room was occupied by several black-clad, masked ninjas.

One jumped towards her, and with a spinning kick, sent her through the window.

Having no other choice, Terra used her powers, to call up a rock from the ground to catch her before she could fall and be injured.

Robin, who was on the roof, heard the glass splinter and recognized Terra as she landed safely on a large piece of earth.

"Terra, are you all right?" the leader called to her.

She rose higher into the air. "Yeah, but you know what this means…"

"Raven's spell is broken." As soon as the words left his mouth, another window was broken and Beast Boy appeared, flying in his pterodactyl form.

Soaring upwards to meet Robin and Terra, he said, "A little warning would have been nice."

Suddenly the door to the roof burst open and countless ninjas flooded onto the roof. "Everyone meet outside!" Robin shouted into his communicator as he jumped onto Terra's rock.

Raven was walking up the stairs to the third floor when she felt her enchantment shatter. Someone behind her yelled, "You! You're that witch!"

Turning, Raven could not count the number of foes who were approaching her because of the poor lighting. Her eyes glowed white and she transformed into a glowing black bird-like form and escaped through the ceiling and used her powers to hold the door to the basement closed.

On the ground floor, she found even more assailants, all of whom were focused on Starfire. She was valiantly holding them off by throwing her starbolts and hovering in the air, but she would not last long confined inside the building.

Robin's instructions sounding from their communicators simultaneously broke Starfire's concentration and made Raven's presence known. Raven hurriedly created a shield for herself, but Starfire was instantly overwhelmed, and Raven was unable to create a shield around the alien as well.

Starfire cried out as she was attacked, and Raven thrust a glowing scarlet palm towards the girl. An unseen force threw the ninjas backwards against the walls, their bodies breaking through desks, shelves and anything else in the process.

"Azerath Metrion Zinthos Trappordé!" Raven and Starfire were surrounded by a pale, glittering red luminosity. They vanished from within the building to reappear outside on the barren ground.

Beast Boy started when the two girls suddenly materialized next to him. "Dude," he said when he recognized them. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"What did you do?" Robin inquired.

"Followed orders," Raven replied.

"Thank you for rescuing me, friend Raven!" Starfire said, squeezing Raven in a tight hug.

Raven disengaged Starfire and reached a glowing green hand towards the wounds of the alien girl, Terra and Beast Boy.

"Where's Cyborg?" Robin asked, concerned.

A small explosion answered him. Out of a still smoking hole in the wall, Cyborg was backing towards them while firing his sonic cannon.

Raven and Terra exchanged a glance before they combined their powers and used stones to block the opening Cyborg had made.

Cyborg rejoined his teammates, unharmed. "Thanks," he told the two girls. Before another word could be spoken, doors and windows were flung open and the Titans were encircled and greatly outnumbered.

"Raven!" Robin called out, but she already had a semitransparent black shield in place.

Several bombs were thrown, but rather then penetrate the shield, they rebounded, sending the ninjas running for cover. Raven braced for the force of the blasts, which knocked Terra and Starfire to the ground and had the males blocking their faces with their arms. Raven turned her head to avoid the dirt and the harsh wind that tugged at her hair and cloak, but held her arms outstretched to maintain the shield.

"Now what?" Beast Boy asked, as the ninjas regrouped around Raven's shield, seeming more guarded.

Robin looked slightly perplexed at the situation.

Terra looked at Raven. "How did you and Starfire get here?"

"Transportation spell," Raven replied, her voice sounding thoughtful. She knew what question would come next. "I think I can do it," she said.

She repeated the phrase, pouring her power and will into the spell in order to transfer all six of them. As the shield dissolved and the ninjas moved to attack, the Teen Titans disappeared.

The Titans suddenly found themselves in the main room of the Tower.

Raven sat abruptly on the floor, bracing her hands behind her to keep her sitting upright. Her friends rushed to her side voicing their concern.

She waved them away. "I'm fine. That just took a lot of energy. I'm just tired." Her stomach grumbled, and a faint blush colored her cheeks. "And hungry."

Her friends smiled and Cyborg helped her to stand. "I'll cook," he said, and Beast Boy insisted on tofu.

* * *

A/N: I thought you might get bored with just the building inspection, so I made this chapter longer with some action. I hope you liked it! 

Broken Outcast: I am happy you think so. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Raven of the Night676: I had not noticed that, but you are right. I suppose it is keeping with the library theme. They are in alphabetical order, after all. Thank you for reviewing!  
  
cd lover: Thank _you_ very much! You do not need to thank me for continuing. I know how frustrating a story can be when the ending is left too open. I hope you continue to enjoy!  
  
hafewolfdemon: No, there is more to come. I shall inform you when the story is complete. Thanks for the review!  
  
Blood of the Wolf: I hope this chapter was worth the wait. And it answered your questions for me. Thank you for reviewing!

DelofDani: I will be sure to note when the story is finished. I am glad you like it. Unfortunately, I have not had the time to read your updates. I hope to soon.  
  
GoRaven: I hope this chapter was worth waiting for. Thank you so much for reviewing!  
  
papersak: Yes, there is a surprise coming up that is related to the ninjas. At least I hope it is a surprise… Anyway, thank you for the review!  
  
The Last: I hope this was soon enough for you. School is out, but I am taking summer classes now, so I am not sure if these more frequent updates will continue. Thanks for the review!  
  
YoshiVixen: I am glad you like my story so much. Thank you for reviewing!  
  
animegoddess12345: You sounded rushed. I appreciate you taking the time to review. Thank you! And yes, I am continuing. I will be sure to note when the story is complete.

Khaleda: You are very correct. Thanks for reviewing! I am glad you are pleased with the story so far.

moo: I am happy you think so highly of my story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

GS Dragono: I cannot make any promises, I am sorry to say. If an idea comes to me, I would be happy to write a sequel, but then and only then.

lovex3spell: I am truly touched that you like my story so much. Thank you very much for reviewing! I hope my story continues to meet with your approval.  
  
Umbra Puella: (a.k.a. true blue fan) Thanks so much! I am just glad you like the story so much. I hope you continue to enjoy it.  
  
dancingirl3: Thank you very much! I hope the update waiting period has been more bearable recently.  
  
NevermoretheRaven: Thank you for the review! And you have nothing to apologize for. I am just glad you approve of my story and methods. I am sure that you could have figured out how Raven chose her jobs, but most stories here are meant to be read for leisure, correct?


	15. Rendering Results

Finally Beast Boy asked, "Now what?"

They all knew he was speaking of the ninjas.

"Should we go back?" Terra asked.

"No, they'll be ready for us if we do. And they already outnumber us," Robin replied.

"Doesn't matter," Raven spoke up. "They'll probably be gone within the next twenty-four hours."

"What?" all five of her friends demanded.

"Something you've read?" Robin questioned.

Raven gave a slight nod, but her eyes narrowed slightly at a sudden thought. "And something I've seen before." Her eyes became distant with the memory before she shook her head to clear her mind. "We should go back then and see if they left any clues."

The others agreed.

"Oh yeah!" Terra exclaimed, drawing their attention. "I forgot I had this." She pulled out the disk. "I copied some stuff off the computer in some office. That's when I was caught," she added, embarrassed and slightly ashamed.

"Don't worry about it," Beast Boy assured her, and the other gave forgiving smiles.

"Here, let me have it. I'll run it through the computer," Cyborg stated.

Terra handed it to him. "I don't think I got much. And it looked coded," she added.

"That's okay. It's a chance for me to see what else this new system can do," Cyborg said with a grin.

"New system?" Raven repeated.

"That's right! You haven't seen it yet. C'mon. It's really awesome."

"Why don't we all go? We haven't seen much of it yet, either," Robin said. They followed Cyborg as he ranted about the supercomputer. When the six entered the room and Cyborg logged into the system, Raven's friends did not notice her blink in surprise—and recognition.

Cyborg inserted the disk and they stared at the strange script that appeared when the copied files were opened. Cyborg quickly scanned the manual before smiling. "It'll take a while, but there's a program that will decipher this for us."

"Cool," Beast Boy said. Terra nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"What about that one?" Raven asked, pointing to the screen.

"What about it?" Beast Boy reiterated.

"It's got a different file extension," Cyborg answered, opening it.

A box appeared on screen requesting a password. Another search through the computer manual resulted in nothing that would help. "Not that I really expected it to, even if it was built by a hacker. Who would feel safe with a public computer system that could break through anyone's security system?" he asked rhetorically.

"So, how long before we can read the files?" Robin asked.

Cyborg shrugged. "Hours, possibly even a couple days."

"Well, let's get some rest, then. We can check it before we head back to that building tomorrow."

The Titans departed to return to their own bedrooms.

Raven lay awake for some time before she eventually quit trying to fall asleep and got up. Changing into a clean uniform, she threw on her cloak as she exited her room.

Robin entered as Raven removed the tea bag from her cup. "I couldn't sleep. Looks like you couldn't either."

"You could say that," Raven replied as she took her warm mug into her hands and left the room. "Good night." She heard him wish her the same as she disappeared from his sight.

Raven traveled down the hall and into another room, taking the seat in front of the new computer system.

_XXXXXX_

Some hours later, Cyborg went to check if the computer had finished decoding the text. Instead, he found Raven sleeping, her head resting on her folded arms, in front of the monitor with half a cup of cold tea next to her.

Robin, wondering what was taking Cyborg so long, went to the computer room himself. Seeing Cyborg, Robin opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when he noticed what Cyborg was looking at. After a moment of silence, Robin changed his question. "Has she been here all night?"

"Looks like it. But doing what?"

Robin shrugged. "I'll be right back."

In the kitchen, Robin met with the other three half-awake Titans, who were foraging for breakfast.

"Friend Robin, what is it that you are doing?" Starfire inquired.

"Yeah. Since when do you drink tea?" Terra asked with a yawn.

"Isn't that Raven's? Where is she, anyway?" Beast Boy questioned.

"She's at the computer," Robin replied, before leaving, followed by his now-curious friends.

Robin set the steaming mug beside Raven as the others watched from the doorway. The sound was slight, but Raven woke nevertheless.

Her eyes opened and awareness dawned in them. She sat up with a murmured apology and, once she saw the cup of tea, a thank you.

"What were you doing?" Cyborg asked, approaching the two. Raven blinked as she realized that all of her friends were there. The glowing screen caught Cyborg's eye and he added, "And how did you log on? You don't have my password!"

"First of all, 'waffles' is not hard to figure out, especially knowing you," Raven began, stifling a yawn and drinking her tea. "Second, I did not use your account. I have my own."

"That's not possible! I didn't make one for anyone except me yet! So the only person who could have an account besides me is…"

Raven shrugged as Cyborg's tirade ended abruptly and turned back to the computer. She set down the empty mug, which she had finished while Cyborg was ranting. "The coded documents have been cracked," she stated as she brought up a few choice files on the screen.

Before she could speak more, she was interrupted by Terra. "Hold it! What's going on?"

"Cyborg," Robin asked, "what were you going to say?"

"The only other person who could access the computer," Cyborg said again, more slowly, "would be the creator. They always leave themselves a way in."

"Dude…" Beast Boy spoke into the silence of dawning comprehension, "So Raven made the mega-computer thing?"

"So that means you won the contest," Cyborg said. Raven nodded. Everything clicked, and he shouted, "You're a hacker?"

"Is it really that surprising, considering everything else I've done?" Raven responded in her expressionless tone.

"I guess not," Cyborg answered after a moment, "but all of your other jobs were never really…"

"Illegal," Raven finished. "Only if you abuse the power it gives you. Anyway, it's still useful. Last night, I was able to break through the security on the locked file. It was a saved e-mail, foolishly forwarded." She brought it up on the screen. "The message itself only contains numbers, and I don't know what they mean, yet. But I ran a search on all of the e-mail addresses, and they are located throughout the country, though most are from border states. Several are around here," she paused. "And several are from Michigan."

"Are you saying…?" Terra began, uncertain she wanted to know the answer.

Raven nodded, closing the e-mail so the monitor once again displayed some of the decoded documents. "These confirm it. The ninjas are somehow linked with the kidnappings."

After a short silence, Robin inquired. "Do you find out anything else?"

Coming out of her own musings, Raven nodded. "I think the leader is someone named Eldas. So far, without a last name, all I've been able to get is a location based on the e-mail address."

"Where is it?" Terra pressed, thinking of Leyna.

"Near a small city in north-western Michigan."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Not yet," Robin commanded authoritatively. "Let's go check out the building from yesterday, first. Then let's see if we can't find anything else about this Eldas before we leave."

Terra sighed but relented. "We'll find her," Raven said assuredly.

Terra blinked as the others asked, "Who?"

"The young girl Terra met who was stolen," Raven replied.

Before anyone else could interrupt with another question, Robin decided they should leave to search the building the ninjas had occupied.

During the drive, Raven briefly described the contents of the deciphered documents. Most were orders of items to procure or headquarters to move or create. A few contained training instructions and how to use certain technologies or weapons. The most interesting, and the most scarce, were the texts that contained mention of them, the Teen Titans. Apparently, Eldas had had knowledge of them for some time.

When they arrived, the trucks were gone and the building all but bare.

Beast Boy turned into a dog in search of any useful scents. His sharp ears picked up Raven's whispered, "Just like before."

Changing back, he walked up to her. "Raven?"

She looked at him slightly surprised. When she realized he had heard her, her eyes moved away from his to skim the room. "In Michigan, sometimes we would have enough information to move in on a place where kidnapped children were being held. But we didn't always get there soon enough. Those times, it would be just like this."

Beast Boy laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You helped a lot of kids, Raven. Like Jeffry." Raven smiled at the name. "And we'll get this Eldas guy, and save the rest of them."

"Hey, Raven!" Terra called as she ran up to the two. "I wanted to ask how you knew about Leyna."

"I asked for a copy of all missing children's reports. There were a lot, but forgetting them is not easy," she said with a sad smile. "I read about Leyna, and your part in trying to help her, a while after I resigned from Lamont & Son. I still get updates." Before Terra could ask, Raven continued, "She hasn't been found yet. I would have told you, if she had."

"Thanks, Rae," Terra said.

"You guys aren't helping by just standing there!" Cyborg yelled from across the room.

The three nodded and split up.

Raven returned to the basement to examine the gap she remembered finding. Closer inspection only reinforced her belief that it was a hidden door. Finding no switch or handle to open it, she leaned her weight against it and tried to push it open.

"I'll take care of it." Raven looked up to see Cyborg. She moved out of the way, and his arm transformed into his sonic cannon. A single blast later, they were stepping through the clouds of dust and onto a platform next to the large tunnel of a subway.

The other Titans, hearing the noise, soon joined them.

"It looks abandoned," Terra commented.

Raven stepped forward and looked into the window of a booth she spotted. "Not anymore," she said.

She opened the door, which slid open smoothly and silently despite the rusted appearance of its surroundings. Inside, advanced technological controls were active with lights and movement on monitors.

Raven glided into the small area and her eyes darted amongst the screens.

"Can you read it?" Robin asked.

"There is a whole underground system in use," was her answer.

"Do you know where the ninjas are heading?"

Her eyes scrutinize the displays again before she found a keypad and touched a few keys. "Michigan. The same location as before."

"Can we leave _now_?" Terra begged.

Robin nodded.

"Are we going to be on the big, white flying creature again?" Starfire asked.

"Airplane, Star. And I don't think we have any other choice," Robin replied.

"But what if they don't have a flight going to that airport? It's not some big city."

"Don't worry about it," Raven said absently. "I have a plane, and the airport owes me a favor."

"Yes! That's so cool, Rae!" Terra exclaimed. "Let's get going!"

As the left the secret channel, Raven lagged behind, lost in her thoughts.

"Raven?" Raven looked up to see Robin waiting for her on the stairs that led up to the ground floor. The others were already ahead of them. "Is something wrong?"

Raven stopped and glanced back at the control booth. "They knew I found the door. They had to have known that we would come back. The equipment told us exactly where they are going…" she stopped and looked at Robin. "It's too easy."

"I thought so, too. But what else can we do? We have to find out what they're up to and stop them." After a long pause, Raven sighed and nodded. "Cheer up. Now that you're back, I'm sure we'll be fine. Now come on, they're waiting for us."

Raven followed him out of the building and to the waiting car. One question still plagued her mind. _Why do they want us to find them?_

* * *

A/N: Who knows how I got the name Eldas? 

Raven of the Night676: My sentiments exactly. Lol. I am glad you liked the last chapter and I hope this one was nice, too. Thank you for reviewing!

Broken Outcast: Thanks! I am happy to hear that.

DelofDani: Thank you! I did do some. I want the story to seem as real as possible, minus the whole teen superheroes with superpowers part. I am having trouble with my MSN account, so if you could e-mail me your story, I'd like to find out what happens next.

GoRaven: I am pleased you enjoy my story so much, but I cannot promise another story following this one. If I am suddenly inspired by a new idea, I would be happy to, but I currently have no plans for one. I will also have plenty of schoolwork this year. Anyway, thank you very much for the review!

animegoddess12345: I am glad my story momentarily rescued you from your boredom. And whether you have a little to say or a lot, I thank you for reviewing.

The Last: Thanks so much for your support! I hope this story entertains you until its end.

GS Dragono: Thank you! I am really just happy that people like it.

YoshiVixen: Thanks! I really do worry about them becoming too out of character. Especially since I haven't seen the show in a while. I appreciate your comments.

mysti-eyed: You do not need to apologize. I certainly understand that predicament. Thank you for the review, and I will!

teenRAVENtitan: Thanks! I am happy you think so.

dancingirl3: I hope this was soon enough for you. No action in this chapter, though. Thank you for reviewing!

LCO100: Thank you very much! I am glad you like it. I hope it continues to meet your expectations.

moo: I am happy to hear that. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Thanks so much for the review!

Lexi The Writer: I hope I updated at a reasonable speed for you. And I am glad you are enjoying the story. Thanks for reviewing!

Skye: Chapter 4 is the only chapter that contains a dream. The five 'X's near the end of that chapter signify where the scene changes back to reality. Everything that happened since Raven's dream has actually happened. I hope that clarifies everything. If not, let me know.

crowmurder: Thank you! I am pleased you think so.


	16. Rigged Rendezvous

"Okay, Raven. Explain," Terra said. They were inside the hanger where Raven's aircraft was kept. Staff was running about to make final preparations.

"Yeah. Why do you have your own _plane_?" Beast Boy demanded.

Raven's shoulders rose slightly in a shrug. "I enjoyed flying, and some of my jobs brought in a lot of money. This was something I treated myself to."

"If you made that much, where did it all go? And how _did_ you make that much?" Robin asked.

"Most of it went into a bank account. I didn't spend much, so eventually I began donating about half of it. Once I read about stocks, I put some into that. I did well enough that I could get this," she indicated the sleek jet before them.

"You didn't make it, did you?" Cyborg inquired, meaning the plane.

Raven shook her head. "I found a competent manufacturer and told them what I wanted. I had the money, so they did what I asked."

"Friend Raven, are you now a 'zillionaire'?" Starfire questioned innocently.

The corners of Raven's mouth twitched upwards at the term. "No, Starfire."

A worker gave a signal to Raven, who nodded in acknowledgement before motioning to her friends to follow her. Terra looked at Raven as they walked up the stairs. "How much _do_ you have?"

Raven's small smile became somewhat more perceptible. "Plenty."

Before another word was spoken, they entered the body of the plane, and some of them gasped.

"Take a seat and fasten your seatbelts," Raven told her friends. "I'll let you know when you can take them off." She then disappeared into the cockpit, the door closing behind her.

The cabin was not large, yet placement of the seats and accessories made it appear spacious. On each side ran a long wooden desk. A comfortable chair, including cup holders in the armrests, faced each of the eight windows, four on each side. The backs of the seats could be leaned back without blocking the wide aisle. A thin, decent sized screen was attached to the wall next to the window; a keyboard with a touch sensitive mouse pad could be slid out from beneath the desk for each monitor, though a lock currently held the movable shelves in place.

As the plane fired up, the Titans quickly took their seats.

The take off was smoother than they expected, and soon Raven announced that they could stand if they wished.

Terra was the first to remove her seatbelt. She moved to the doors she saw at the back of the cabin and was followed by Starfire. Opening one door, Terra informed the others it was a bathroom, and larger than the one on the last plane they had been on. Starfire discovered the next door was an oversized cabinet to hold belongings. Blankets and pillows already occupied some of the compartments.

The third and final door had a deadbolt to unlock first. They found the door to be thick and heavy, but once the two girls opened it, they were met with cool air and two more doors. Starfire opened the thinner of the two, and Terra pulled open the other, which was just as heavy as the first. "Snacks!" the two cried together. Beast Boy and Cyborg immediately joined them.

Robin sighed as the four explored the food stock. He had been eyeing the computer in front of him, wondering if he could use it. He stood and walked to the cockpit door, where he knocked lightly. "Raven?"

The door slid open and he stepped though. He was met with a multitude of buttons and levers, some of which were alight with various colors. He also recognized a radar and global positioning system. Raven sat with her headset around her neck, which trapped her violet hair against her neck. Her eyes moved to acknowledge his presence before returning to watch the sky and the control board. Robin sat in the vacant copilot seat. The view was amazing.

"They found your food," he informed her with a smile.

She returned it. "So I heard."

"You did?"

"The intercom is two-way."

"Oh." He paused, watching her for a moment. "You really like flying, don't you?" She nodded. "But you quit."

"Nothing could replace being a Teen Titan," she said quietly.

Robin gave her a reassuring smile before changing the topic. "So do those computers work?"

"I've never tested them while in the air, but you can try if you want to."

"I'll see if I can find anything on Eldas."

Raven reached over and flipped a switch upwards. "There's a button the side of the monitor to turn the screen on," she informed him.

"Thanks." He began to leave but then turned his head back to face her. "How long until we're there?"

"About an hour. I'll let you know when we're closer."

As Robin exited, Beast Boy brushed past with his mouth stuffed, followed by the others.

"Hey, Raven, want some?" Robin barely understood Beast Boy's words as he spoke around his food.

"Uh, no thanks." Raven's reply was clearer, and beneath the monotonous tone, he heard a smile in her voice.

A little more than an hour later, Raven ordered them to their seats and she landed the aircraft. Robin had had no luck in his search.

Raven had set the jet down on a beach because no airports were nearby.

"Where to now?" Cyborg asked.

Raven pointed at a large concrete building in the distance.

They flew the rest of the way. Beast Boy, in his pterodactyl form, carried Cyborg and Starfire carried Robin. Terra surfed on a boulder she unearthed and Raven hovered alongside the others.

Upon reaching their destination, they alighted to find the building appeared deserted. They only became more wary.

The six cautiously stepped though a door that was open and into almost complete darkness.

Starfire let her hands glow green and Cyborg activated the beam on his shoulder, but their light did little to illuminate the shadows.

Raven was about to speak a spell to bring light when she heard a sound behind her. She turned too late, and a hand clamped tightly over her mouth. A pair of hands grabbed each of her arms, indicating multiple assailants. Only a muffled sound escaped her, but it was enough to alert her friends. They turned to her, but the room abruptly brightened as many lights were turned on.

The Titans were momentarily blinded. When their vision cleared, they found themselves surrounded by scores of black-clad ninjas.

A voice sounded loudly, but they could not define its origin. "Welcome, Teen Titans."

"Who are you?" Robin demanded, very aware that Raven was in the hands of the enemy. They had realized she needed to speak or make a motion with her hands to use her magic and so had taken precautions to prevent her from doing so.

"How rude of me. I am Eldas."

"Where are you? What do you want?" Robin called out.

"Come and find me…if you can. _Get them_."

The ninjas seemed to all attack at once.

Raven watched helplessly as her friends valiantly defended themselves against the unspeakable odds. A small growl sounded from her throat.

Her heel came down sharply just above the kneecap of the ninja who held one of her arms. His grip slackened enough for her to yank her arm against the thumbs, breaking the hold of the weaker fingers. With one arm free, she jabbed her elbow into the man behind her, who held his hand over her mouth and dagger at her throat, and brought her heel to the instep of his foot. Escaping from his grasp, she propelled her body weight into her third foe, landing with her elbow in the ninja's gut.

As Raven removed herself from the winded warrior, she made a move with her hand that swept the feet out from under those around her. Suddenly Raven heard Terra cry out and saw the blonde fall from the rock she had been standing on, a short dagger in her shoulder. Beast Boy turned into a large bird and caught her, making him a vulnerable target in the process. Countless deadly weapons flew at the changeling.

"Zinthos Metrion Azerath!" Black magic encased the weapons, and their progress halted before they dropped heavily to the ground. The ninjas attempted to retrieve their weaponry but found they could not move them.

Raven created a shield that widened, forcing the ninjas against the walls while passing harmlessly over her friends. She ran to where Beast Boy had set Terra, and did her best to remove the dagger without causing more pain. Raven used her green restoring magic to heal Terra as well as the others, who were not as seriously injured.

"Now what?" Beast Boy asked. "We can't hide out in Raven's shield."

"We need to get to Eldas," Robin said determinedly. "We defeat him, the rest will fall."

"But do we know where he is?" Starfire inquired.

"I think we should head down that hallway. That's where most of the ninjas seem to be trying to keep us away from. Just remember to stick together. Now," Robin looked at them all. "Are we ready?"

"Yes!" Starfire exclaimed.

"Yeah, let's do it," Terra added.

The others agreed.

Robin nodded to Raven, and with a flick of her head, the shield dissipated. "Titans, go!"

Together, the six of the battled their way down hallway after room after hallway, following Robin's lead.

Finally, they arrived in a more luxurious room than the others. More ninjas appeared, forming a barrier between the Titans and the figure hidden in shadow on a raised dais. The figure, undoubtedly Eldas, was clad in a black cape with an orange interior. All they could see of his face was the right eye—the rest was hidden behind a mask, the right half orange, and the left pitch black.

"Slade?" Robin said, both surprised and confused.

"No." The figure stepped forward slowly. Malice laced the words. "_You_, Teen Titans, killed Slade." As the figure stepped more into the light, they could see that beneath the cloak was the formfitting attire of the ninjas. The figure before them was female. "I am Eldas, Slade's elder sister."

* * *

A/N: Yes, yes. I know in the show that Slade is not dead, but I had this planned before I knew about that. And as some people discovered, 'Eldas' is 'Slade' jumbled. 

Broken Outcast: Well, I wrote more, so you won't have to do anything now. Lol. Thanks for reviewing!

Lexi The Writer: Sorry I was slower this time. I hope the chapter was worth the wait. Thank you for the review!

teenRAVENtitan: This is an even worse cliffhanger, isn't it? I hope it is just as exciting. Thanks for the review!

mysti-eyed: I am glad you liked the last chapter. I know there wasn't really much happening. More action in this one, so I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reviewing!

GS Dragono: Yes, I agree with you. I think Raven is very smart. And congratulations on guessing correctly about the computer program. Very astute of you. Thanks very much for the review!

crystal phoenix: Correct! Nicely done, and thanks for reviewing!

DarkSin: I am pleased you like my story that much. I hope you continue to enjoy it. I will try and update faster, but no promises I'm afraid. Thank you for the review!

DelofDani: I had planned on explaining about the plane in this chapter, but I do see your point. I will try to keep what you said in mind. I do appreciate your critique. How else does one improve one's writing? Thanks so much for the review! And thank you for e-mailing me your story. I am very much enjoying it! I look forward to the next installment. It just keeps getting more and more interesting.

moo: I know this is not very soon, but I hope the wait was worth it. I am very glad you like the story so much. Thank you for reviewing!

The Last: Very perceptive of you, nicely done. I am glad you are still happy with the story. Thank you for the review!

Blood of the Wolf: Pink and fuzzy? Scary. I updated, thankfully. Lol. I am glad you are enjoying the story and I hope you continue to do so. Thank you for reviewing!

Claire: You are right! Well done, and thank you!

GoRaven: Thank you so much! I am honored you think so highly of my story. I hope it continues to meet with your expectations.


	17. Ch 17 Preview

As I mentioned before, to those who read my A/N,here is a preview of chapter 17. It is _very_ rough, and is subject to change (and will certainly be longer upon completion). Thanks for all your patience and support!

newiceauthoress

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(Chapter 17 Preview)

"Raven, cover me," Robin instructed. "I'm going after Eldas."

Raven nodded, and Robin charged towards the masked woman. With a flick of her hand and a few muttered words, all the ninjas before her leader were pushed away by an invisible force, like leaves in the wind.

Upon reaching the platform, Robin pulled out his Bo staff and attacked Eldas, who pulled a pair of three-pronged ninja daggers from beneath her cloak. She easily parried all of Robin's anger-induced strikes.

"How could _you_ have defeated Slade?" Eldas sneered. "Did you attack him while he was asleep? You're nothing more than a boy."

Robin growled, and made a swinging swipe with his staff. She caught it between two prongs and threw it from his grip. Kicking out a leg, she brought Robin crashing to the floor, and her blade descended towards his exposed neck.

Suddenly Eldas was knocked roughly onto her side, and she lost her grip on her weapons. A still-smoldering hole had been burned through the arm of her uniform, and scalded skin could be seen.

Snarling, Eldas stood, letting her injured arm hang limp at her side.

Following Eldas's gaze, Robin turned his head to see Raven, whose eyes still glowed white.

Terra tried to sneak up on Eldas while she was distracted. The blonde had no idea what gave her away, but Eldas abruptly turned and grabbed Terra by her hair. Before any of the Titans could react, cool steel pressed against the skin of her bared throat. Eldas had literally had a trick up her sleeve.

"Do not move, or she dies," Eldas ordered coolly, and her eyes sparked with triumph.

Terra's friends did as they were told.

Eldas's eyes glittered maliciously as they locked on Raven. She spoke to her minions. "Kill the witch."


End file.
